A TikTok video showing how the escalator at Gent-Sint-Pieters station leads to an overcrowded platform and results in chaos has been massively shared. The clip triggered quite a reaction on social media. But what exactly can you do when there is trouble on an escalator?
Trouble on the escalator: chaos at Gent-Sint-Pieters station goes viral (VIDEO)
Colin Clapson
Published:
The video has since been viewed over 53 million times. It also triggered many shocked reactions. It shows how an escalator leads to a crowded platform and how this results in chaos.
Gent-Sint-Pieters railway station is always busy on a Friday afternoon, but now it was even busier than usual. ‘On Friday rail services were hit by a strike and an alternative timetable was in force, so there were fewer trains than usual,’ explains NMBS spokesman Bart Crols. This is why the platform was so crowded.
This is also what Sam Tanghe, the journalism student, who made the video, surmised. ‘The last train for a while was at 1.20pm. The next one was at 4.20pm. Everyone wanted to take the 1pm one,’ he explains. ‘I often take the train, but I have never experienced it being this busy.’
None of his videos have ever picked up so many views either. ‘I never expected so many viewers. At one point, I couldn't even use TikTok because I was getting so many notifications.’
What can you do?
What can you do if there is a problem or accident on an escalator? According to Belgian railways spokesman Bart Crols, all escalators are equipped with emergency stop buttons. Also the ones at Gent-Sint-Pieters.
‘At the top and bottom of the escalator are two buttons that can be used in case of an emergency to bring the escalator to an immediate halt. The red signs indicating the emergency stop buttons look like two red stop signs. These are directly above the buttons,’ explains Mr Crols.
Friday night's footage shows how no one uses the emergency stop buttons initially. Passengers are definitely allowed to use these buttons in situations like this.
‘We monitor the stations with cameras and our own staff also keep an eye on things. They will always intervene. Nevertheless, travellers can also always operate the emergency buttons wherever emergencies like this arise,’ Mr Crols concludes.