Escalator in China unexpectedly switches direction throwing passengers to the floor

It has been reported five people were injured in the incident.

CCTV footage has been published showing the moment a fully-packed escalator unexpectedly switches into reverse, throwing dozens of commuters to the floor.

The video shows people riding the escalator as usual with no indication that it is broken; before it suddenly reverses at high speed, causing people to tumble down in a domino-like effect.

The incident took place on 19 February during the morning rush hour at a subway station in Ningbo, in east China’s Zhejiang province.

It has been reported that ten people were taken to hospital as a precautionary measure with five of those declared injured.

Authorities visited the subway station to determine what caused the escalator to change direction and an investigation is still on-going.

There have been several escalator-related deaths and injuries in China; most recently in July 2015 when a mother was killed after she fell through a panel at the top of an escalator in a department store in the city of Jingzhou in Hubei province.