wtf,where is the stop btton!?!?!?!?!

I don't understand why this was such a mess. It wasn't even going down very fast. Seem to me people just needed to turn around and act as if they where going down instead of up. I think the problem was all the people at the bottom that got in the way trying to help.

i bet this took place in a manga-con.

Japan culture.
Pressing stop button is a shame.

damn the problem really escalated

If the stair system failed it was in kind of a free fall so a stop button probably wouldn't do anything unless it caused a mechanical break to the stairs. Look at how many people were on the stairs! I guess they are use to riding the subway. Here in the states, most people like their space so you would get only 1 person per step on the average. Example 2 people on ever other step. I don't know what it is like in the big cities and even during heavy shopping times I don't think the stairs would get overloaded. I wonder if clothes got caught in the gap at the bottom of the stairs or pinched were the steps laid flat on the bottom of the stairs.

dude, stop button... its same like braking hard on the icy road ...

Lol, the escalator was supposed to go upward, but too many ppl brought it down.

ANd when you are in shock or awe you really don't know what to do coz your mind is swarmed with so many ideas while you are "in" the situation. THats why others have to step in ( if they do )to save the victim to-be. coz their mind see the right decision without any instant tension or depression.

Now imagine a busy day in that mall.

Ye this is stupid...But that thing what happened in the love festival in Germany last year was even more stupid. 19 people got crushed and died because people were pushing at the entrance of the festival.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-10751899

nobody hit the stop button because it's too fun to watch

the stop button would have stopped the escalator from moving and making people stampeding eachother at the bottom. duh. every escalator has an emergency stop button at the top and bottom.

#9 You are right about it being stupid. Your example and others such as soccer or football games show how people get worked up to the point that they can self destruct. I think the stair thing was unexpected and as #7 said, it was a shocking moment and some people could not think under the circumstances. I know some people that go to certain events just to see the turmoil. I have seen the clips where people tell someone that is ready to jump from a building, "Jump Jump Do it man! Jump". I really have no idea what some people are thinking. I would say it is due to our times, but then I think about the Roman gladiator games. People went to see those things like we go to see sports events now. Makes you wonder, was the drinks and hot dogs over priced then too?

I hate it with their culture, when I am there I have to put my both hands on rubber side so no one pushing my 4 years old daughter or my wife, and its three or four behind me trying to push. I mean what the F its not like these couple seconds are going to make you reach any sooner. some people are just stupid, I am really sorry to see such an accident. they should introduce the privacy circle or them or something.

Big problem here is as some one pointed out stop button would do nothing it looks like the chain driving it broke and also the safety brake thats there to stop this happenin but man they do love over crowdin shit in china and japan

The fail is that the people on the topmost stairs do nothing to avoid this. They could just walk back up.

finaly it came a time that pissed me off and made me register
all this stupid comments people are putting up here.

no 15. back up? They were on the way up. Clearly 2nd escalator with people facing down should give you that clue.
no 14 china and tokyo dont mix

botom line is i dont know what happened but seems to me like gravity still works and there should be some mayor breaking system to stop all this weight from going down

Reasons for why this problem escalated when it should have been minor:
-People down the escalator blocking instead of moving away and creating space so that the ones on the escalator can come down.
-People above pushing into the escalator just because he/she wants to come down sooner than anyone else.

I was once in such situation. After a concert huge crowd went home and needed to pass a tunel. It was very crowded and it went so slow. At the end I saw people falling down. I would step back to greate a space, but you simply cant do a thing aginst the huge mass/force of the crowed pushing aginst you from the back. You feel complitly powerless, you just follow the flow. At one point step by step you just fall over the people who have fallen before you, creating some sort of wave. Big thanks to those people who pulled out the first ranks, there is nothing other you can do. I may little dramatise, but it is kind of scary experiance how unorganized and dangerous can be human mass.

#16 nothing but gravity
"Police in Tokyo are investigating the cause of an escalator accident at an exhibition hall that left 10 people slightly injured.
Detectives say more than 120 people were on the crowded escalator connecting the 1st and 4th floors when it suddenly stopped and moved in the reverse direction, causing those at the bottom to fall on top of each other." bbc news

#16 - Both escalators are going down. Not up. So it's actually a good question. Why didn't the people on the top try to get off the escalator by going against the stream. Instead of just waiting for their doom.

Apparently... Lemmings > Chinese

looks like another crazy gameshow to me

#19 ofcourse they are goign down! right one fail to go up

but read #20
120 people*50kg is 6.000kg

it suddenly stopped and moved in the reverse direction,

police was also taking some photos of the rail is that a large crack on the rail where you put your hand on ? 0:51

coulda swore i heard someone scream "gojira!!"

Just another half price sale!

#22 - OK! Now it makes more sense. Thanks

people are strange...

#20 Not Chinese genius.

People are so fucking stupid. Just end this please

I don't understand
what is the accident?? and why there is 100 person on one escalator??

bcoz of Increase In population