Subway safety cautioned after boy jumps

• Source: Global Times
• [10:02 July 13 2010]
• Comments

Commuters wait for the next subway train while a TV hanging above the platform broadcasts Expo updates. Photo: IC

By Chen Xiaoru

After a young boy jumped onto the subway tracks at Lianhua Road station to retrieve a fallen folded stool Monday, authorities are reminding passengers to pay more attention to warning signs for their own safety.

While no emergency assistance was required as the child was pulled to safety in time by his parents, such situations can be easily prevented if passengers mind simple safety precautions, said Wang Bin, a press officer for the subway operator.

"Passengers need to follow the warning signs posted around the stations asking people not to jump on the tracks, and to keep back from the edge of the platform at a safe distance," he told the Global Times Monday. "Failing to oblige is too dangerous."

He added that since the second fatal subway accident of the year, which occurred earlier this month, additional officers have been dispatched to patrol subway platforms, but that passengers need to do their part, too, as the patrollers cannot be everywhere at once.

According to the head of Lianhua Road station, a man surnamed Yao, more subway staffers have also been working to help direct passengers.

"Many people from outside the city who are not familiar with the subway don't know what to do, where to buy tickets, where to board, et cetera," he said. "They create safety hazards as they tend to crowd around gates and platforms."

He added that such measures are meant to help improve public safety on subways as more people are choosing the method of transportation, which saw its passenger vol-ume hit a new record high of 6.5 million last Friday.