ROME: More than 20 people were injured on Tuesday after an escalator in Rome malfunctioned and rapidly sped downward. The passengers were thrown to the bottom of the station by the speeding escalator. 


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The incident took place at the Repubblica metro station when passengers, mostly Russian football fans, were on their way to attend a Champions League match between Roma and CSKA Moscow.



The reason behind the malfunctioning of the escalator is yet to be ascertained. Rome's fire brigade said that the injured were taken to a hospital and the escalator was being repaired. 


Rome Mayor Virginia Raggi said that she stands in solidarity with those injured, adding that the authorities need to understand the cause of the malfunction. Raggi also said that it seemed that "some Russian supporters were dancing and jumping on the escalator." 


In the video of the mishap, the descending escalator at Repubblica station can be seen suddenly and dramatically picking up speed while dozens were on it. Many people were heard screaming as they piled on top of one another at the foot of the moving stairway.


Several investigations have been opened, and the metro station near Rome's Termini train station was closed. 



The Russian fans were headed for the metro that would have linked them to the train to the stadium. There was heightened security in Rome for nearly 1,500 Russian supporters, notoriously rowdy, who were expected to be present to watch the game.


As per reports, Rome's public transport has often faced criticism for being run on obsolete equipment. In recent years, more than a dozen municipal buses have caught fire while in service, with several reports of metro passengers injured by malfunctioning hardware.