An escalator at Harbourfront Centre malfunctioned when its top section suddenly broke and jutted upward on Sunday.
A woman carrying a baby was on the escalator during the breakdown. The escalator stopped automatically, letting the woman and baby safely return to their starting floor.
The incident took place at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, 4 May 2025, at Harbourfront Centre.
Social media videos and photos show the affected escalator was moving upward from the second to third floor. Three steps at the top had warped and pushed up, creating a hazardous situation.
Reporters who visited on Monday (5 May 2025) at 10:40 AM found the damaged escalator cordoned off.
A repair team of three to four workers was fixing the escalator. They had taken out the damaged steps and put in new parts.
The shopping center had posted notices directing shoppers to use alternative escalators.
Witness Statement
A shop assistant working near the broken escalator described what happened.
She reported seeing a woman carrying a baby who appeared to be a few months old in one arm while pushing a stroller with her other hand. The pair was midway up the escalator when the incident occurred.
“I suddenly heard a loud ‘boom’, and when I looked up, the steps at the very top had severely deformed. The entire escalator then stopped automatically,” said the shop assistant, who asked to remain unnamed.
The witness noted the woman froze in fear. Her husband was behind her about to step onto the escalator but hadn’t yet done so.
After seeing the problem, the husband signaled to his wife to carry the baby and walk down the stopped escalator.
“Thankfully, the escalator stopped, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief when they saw her safely walk down. The family of three then left. I’m still shaken by this incident. If she had been closer to the top at that time, or if she had been standing right on those two faulty steps, the consequences would have been unthinkable,” the shop assistant said.
