Five injured when escalator suddenly changes direction and speeds up

Five people have been injured in China where a crowded escalator suddenly went into reverse at high speed.

The accident occurred at a shopping centre in Ningbo in Zhejiang Province on Thursday, CCTV reports

A surveillance videos shows a large number of shoppers travelling upstairs on the escalator when the machine switches direction without warning.

A few people at the bottom manage to backpedal to safety but those higher up are thrown back towards the ground taking other helpless shoppers with them as a dangerous game of human dominos unfolds.

While five people were injured in the pile-up it could have been worse.

Last year China witnessed a number of fatal escalator incidents perhaps none more disturbing than when a mother clutching her child was swallowed up after falling into an exposed opening at the top of the stairs.

She manage to push her child to safety but died from her injuries.