MontrealCBC Investigates

Escalator accidents happen every 2nd day in Montreal Metro

Montreal's public transit agency logs an escalator accident nearly every second day. Following the 2014 death of Naima Rharouity, the STM launched a safety campaign with tips on proper escalator etiquette. But few commuters CBC spoke to seemed aware of it.

STM launched safety campaign after Naima Rharouity's 2014 death, but few commuters know about it

Leah Hendry CBC News Posted: Oct 26, 2017 5:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: October 26, 2017

The STM has logged 626 escalator accidents between January 2014 and June 2017. On average, that's an accident on a Metro escalator every second day in Montreal. (CBC)

Despite a safety campaign following the2014 death ofNaima Rharouity, whose hair and clothing were caught in an escalator atFabreMetro station, the number of accidents on Montreal Metro escalators has remained constant.

Naima Rharouity ID'd as victim in Montreal escalator death

From the beginning of 2014until June 2017, the STMlogged 626 escalator accidents.

That's an average of nearly one every second day on the Metro system's 296 escalators. With approximately 900,000 Metro users a day, the STM claims itsescalators are among the most used in Canada.

Close to half of the Metro's escalatoraccident victims suffered serious enough injuries that theyneeded to go to hospital by ambulance.

"It's really a lot," said commuter ChristineSicard, shocked when told of the number of accidents.

Falls account for 70% of injuries

Commuters falling is the most common cause of injury on escalators:Falls accountfor70 per cent of escalator accidentsoverthree and a half years.

Between 2014 and May 31, 2017,450 people fell.

Just overhalf of those falls resulted in visible injuries,according to information obtained from the STM by CBC Montreal Investigates. However, the STM doesn't track details of the injuries.

A frequent Metro user, Sicard thinks she knows why these falls happen.

"There's always one side of the escalator where people aren't moving," said Sicard. "On the other side, people are going up or down quickly."

If someone steps out of that line without looking over their shoulder, there's a good chance a collision will happen.

Metro user Christine Sicard was shocked at the number of people who are hurt on the Metro's escalators, but admits she sees accidents waiting to happen everyday. (CBC)

Another commuter, Alba Gil,says the sheer number of injuries is unfortunate but not surprising.

"It just makes me think we are always in a rush, and we are not even paying attention to anything around us," saidGil.

People fall up, too

Perhaps surprisingly, almost as many people had accidents on escalators going up as going down.

Over that three-and-a-half-year period, 262 accidents happened on ascendingescalatorsjust 33 fewer than the number of people who werehurt on descending escalators.

Almost as many people fell going upan escalator as the number who fell while going down.

"That's an insane amount," said Marc Milette, who was passing throughCte-des-Neiges Metro station.

He's seen people trying to run up the escalator the wrong way or slide down the middle section. He hasn't witnessed an accidentbut knows that kind of behaviour is unsafe.

Falls aren'tthe only accidents.

Four people had ahand or foot caught, and 42 people got their clothing snagged over the same period.

2014 death prompts safety measures

Following 47-year-old Rharouity'sdeath in January 2014, the Quebec coroner made a series of recommendations to improve safety on Metro escalators.

Coroner finds Naima Rharouity was strangled by scarf

That same year, theSTMstarted a campaign and posted numerous signs promoting safety tips.

Those tips include:

Do not carry heavy bags or packages that block your view or cause youto lose yourbalance.
Avoid running for or on the escalator.
Face forward, because turning around to chat with a friend can cause falls if you aren't paying attention.
Do not leave your child in a stroller while ascending or descending. Instead, take the child in your arms and ask for help with the stroller.
Do not let children sit on escalator steps.

CBC contacted the STM to comment on this story, however officials refused interview requests.

Alba Gil, who often travels by Metro with her small son, seems to be one of the few commuters who knowsnot to keep her child in his stroller on the escalator.

"But a lot of people do," said Gil. "I guess that's because there's not a lot of elevatorsat every station, and it's hard to travel with a kid in a stroller."

Naima Rharouity left behind her husband and two young children when she died after being strangled by her hair and clothing on an escalator at Fabre Metro station on Jan. 30, 2014. (CBC)

More visibility?

Although there are signs postedin some Metro stations outlining proper behaviour onescalators, most people CBC spoke to had never seen or noticed the safety campaign.

All of the commuters said they'd like the safety signs to be more visible.

After CBCshowed them copies of the signs, one suggested the STM should also include a sign that warnspeople to stay off their cell phones when usingescalators.