SMRT maintenance worker hospitalised after inhaling smoke from faulty escalator in AMK MRT incident

An SMRT maintenance worker has been hospitalised after inhaling smoke from the faulty escalator at Ang Mo Kio MRT station.

Vice-President of Corporate Communications at SMRT told Stomp that the maintenance worker is currently under observation at a hospital.

It was previously reported that a section of Ang Mo Kio MRT station was closed off on Feb 5 due to smoke being emitted from an escalator leading from the station to AMK Hub.

A video that Stomper Lee sent in today (Feb 6) showed police officers and SCDF officers present at the scene. Commuters were also seen covering their noses as they walked past the smoke-filled station.

Initial investigations by SMRT revealed that the smoke could have come from overheated motor bearings in the faulty escalator which has since been replaced.

Ms Teo said that officers from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) were activated as a precaution.

"Further checks will be carried out before the escalator is put back in service," said Ms Teo. "The other two escalators next to the faulty escalator have been turned off pending safety checks."

Ms Teo said that station staff were on hand to guide commuters and that the elderly or commuters with special needs should take the lift instead.

The linkway re-opened at 6.10pm yesterday.