Incident sparks metro safety confusion

• Source: Global Times
• [09:49 July 14 2010]
• Comments

A power failure strands a Metro Line 8 train at the Aerospace Museum Station Tuesday afternoon. Photo: Cai Xianmin

By Zhou Ping

The confusion among metro passengers over what situations justify the use of the emergency brake handles in carriages was highlighted when a man collapsed while riding the subway Tuesday.

A train on Metro Line 2 was brought to a halt between Nanjing Road East Station and People's Square Station at 8:27 am Tuesday when a passenger activated the emergency brake in response to an elderly male passenger fainting.

According to Sheng Di, a member of staff at the No.2 Operating Company of Shentong Metro Company, the driver followed procedure by informing the control center once the train had been stopped by the emergency brake. Although his control panel showed that the brake had then been de-activated soon after, he still decided to go and check on the situation himself.

"The driver was still worried about the situation, so he went to the fifth carriage, where the emergency brake had been tripped, and found that an old man had fainted," Sheng added.

According to Sheng, the driver went back to the cab and restarted the train at round 8:41 am. The old man was taken away by metro staff at People's Square Station.

"We discourage passengers from activating the emergency brake between stations, unless there is a severe emergency like a fire or explosion," she said. "If the emergency brake is tripped because somebody has fallen sick or been injured, it will only delay the person getting aid."

According to Huang Qiongruo, a staff member at the metro company's operation center, anyone who activates the brake without due cause will face legal proceedings.

However, dozens of passengers the Global Times spoke to had no knowledge of what kind of situation would justify them activating the emergency brake.

"I don't know when we passengers are allowed to pull the emergency device," Liu Xiaoli, an office worker, told the Global Times Tuesday. "I think it can only be activated when there's an accident. I think the metro company should put notices beside the emergency brakes to clarify when they can be used."

"In my opinion, the emergency brake should never be used by passengers without consulting a member of staff first," Xu Ruihua, a professor with the School of Transportation Engineering of Tongji University, said.