Multiple people have been injured after escalators at a Scots railway station malfunctioned, reportedly sending passengers "flying" backwards on top of each other.
Emergency services were called to Argyle Street train station in Glasgow around 9am after a set of moving stairs carrying commuters up to street level began rapidly moving backwards. Witnesses said that the malfunction sent passengers toppling on top of each other, including a number of elderly people.
A pregnant woman is reported to have jumped onto the barrier of the escalator to avoid being caught in the crush. Police say that five people were treated at the scene for minor injuries, with four people taken to hospital.
Services were suspended for an hour while emergency services attended. Scotrail, which operates the station on behalf of Network Rail, has apologised to passengers for the incident.
One commuter told the Record: "It happened at about 8.46am – people were going on the escalators out the station and the steps just started reversing. People went flying and were crushed.
"A six-months pregnant woman jumped the barrier to get out the way. There were a few injuries, people were taken to the side with cuts and that.
"Why did that escalator start reversing? My wife was really shaken up by it, she has a sore back.
"She said it was one of the most horrific things that has ever happened to her. It could have caused a death."
It is understood that Network Rail engineers will be called to the station to inspect the escalators before they can be used again. Scotrail says it is aking ongoing contact with passengers about the incident.
A British Transport Police spokesperson said: "Officers received a report that an escalator had malfunctioned at Argyle station shortly after 9am this morning.
"Five people were treated for minor injuries and four of those were taken to hospital. The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) have been notified of the incident."
An ORR spokesperson said: “We are aware of the incident at Argyle Street station today and are looking into the circumstances around this.”
Phil Campbell, ScotRail's head of customer operations, said: “We are sorry to customers who have been affected by this incident, which was the result of an escalator malfunctioning.
"Our staff at the station were on hand to help those needing assistance, and we are now carrying out a full investigation to establish the cause. The safety of our customers and our staff is our priority, and the escalators will remain closed until they have been checked by engineers.”
A Scottish Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We received a call at 9.14am to attend an incident at Argyle Street Station, Glasgow. Four ambulances were dispatched to the scene and four patients were transported to Glasgow Royal Infirmary.”
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