Escalator breakdown at Clementi Mall causes lunchtime mayhem, raises emergency safety concerns

SINGAPORE: There was a commotion at The Clementi Mall at lunch hour on Tuesday (July 1) when one escalator was shut down without warning. Shoppers grew agitated as they could not take the escalator to go up.

According to a Facebook post on Wednesday, the escalator going up from Basement 1 to Level 1 was shut down around noon on Tuesday for maintenance work, while the one going down continued to function. As foot traffic thickened, throngs of people gathered in the basement. A female security officer positioned nearby attempted to redirect them to the lift foyer. However, the two lifts operating in the basement were very slow and heavily used, which resulted in a long line of tense people.

The customers, many carrying bags of food and drinks, grew increasingly frantic as time ticked past 2 pm. Several people allegedly implored the security personnel to temporarily switch off the other escalator, so that it could be utilised as a provisional stairway in both directions.

However, the security officer did not comply, referring instead to the mall guidelines and safety protocols. Her firm attitude, though professional, drew verbal abuse from a few furious people, while others accused her of lacking the initiative to do what was necessary in an emergency.

As the mob became more fidgety, some shoppers supposedly informed the police that the situation had become shaky. One man was heard shouting, “The police have been called!” as others marched back and forth between the crammed lift area and the jammed escalators.

The tension subsided only when the maintenance crew finished their job and switched on the upward escalator, nearly 30 minutes after the trouble started. People clapped and heaved sighs of relief as they could once more move about freely.

One bystander called the episode “completely unnecessary,” doubting the mall’s emergency preparation methods. “If this were a fire or real emergency, we would’ve all been stuck. How is it acceptable to trap people in a basement with no viable exit?” he asked.

Another added: “It’s the first day of the second half of the year, and this has already soured it for me. We weren’t asking for much—just some basic flexibility and common sense.”

Calls are mounting for The Clementi Mall management to explain not only why one of the escalators couldn’t be provisionally used as a stairway but also how they will prevent similar incidents in the future.