The BTS skytrain operator has ordered safety checks on the escalator systems at every station after a passenger posted on social media a photo of an escalator with a missing step at Phaya Thai on Monday morning.
The passenger said she had narrowly escaped injury when a part of the escalator at Phaya Thai station suddenly subsided as she went to step on it.
She posted a picture of a missing step, and it and the story went viral.
The Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTSC) announced the system-wide safety checks on Tuesday morning.
The BTSC statement said it was a precautionary measure to ensure passengers’ safety and prevent any repeat the incident.
No one was injured because the escalator system at that particular station automatically stopped. Staff at the station immediately sealed off the escalator, the statement said.
The escalators at Phaya Thai station resumed normal operation on Tuesday morning after repair and thorough checks.
BTSC said the escalator systems at all skytrain stations were installed by leading companies from Europe and Japan. Its safety standards always met international standards with regular maintenance over the 18 years it had been in operation. No such incident had occurred previously.
BTSC apologised to passengers for any inconvenience.
