In a shocking turn of events, a routine trip to HarbourFront Centre turned into a potential tragedy when an escalator dramatically malfunctioned on May 4 at around 3 PM. As a family of three, including a tiny baby, made their way up, the escalator unexpectedly "bulged and ruptured," nearly endangering their lives.

Eyewitnesses were left reeling as images surfaced online, revealing the last three steps of the escalator protruding awkwardly and misaligned, a sight that no shopper ever wants to encounter.

A nearby store employee described the scene, recalling how a woman with a stroller in one hand and a baby cradled in her other arm was on the escalator when disaster struck. "It was like something out of a nightmare. One moment, everything seemed fine; the next, there was this loud bang, and I saw the escalator abruptly stop. I thought, 'This cannot be happening!'"

Fortunately, just as chaos ensued, the woman's husband noticed the alarming situation and urged her to turn back. "I can't express how relieved we were to see her safely stepping off the escalator!" the employee added. "It shook all of us. If she had been at the top, the outcome could have been catastrophic!"

The following day, a visit to the mall revealed that the escalator was cordoned off as repair crews worked diligently to fix the issue. All faulty steps had been replaced to restore safety.

A spokesperson for Mapletree addressed the incident, stating, "Thankfully, no injuries were reported during this unexpected situation. A shopper’s stroller wheel got caught, which led to the malfunction. We regularly maintain our escalators to adhere to strict safety protocols, but this serves as a crucial reminder for everyone—please use lifts when navigating with strollers!"

This incident has sparked conversations around escalator safety, reminding all shoppers to remain vigilant and cautious, especially when traveling with young children. While this family walked away unscathed, others may not be so fortunate in future incidents. Stay safe out there!