Paramus, NJ – 8 year-old girl suffers severe injuries after leg entrapped in Garden State Plaza escalator

An 8-year-old girl was severely injured after her leg became entrapped by an escalator at the Westfield Garden State Plaza, located in Paramus, New Jersey, around 11:45 a.m. on the morning of Friday, August 16, 2013. The girl and her mother boarded the escalator on the lower level, headed towards the first floor. As they reached the top landing, the girl’s right foot apparently became entrapped between two steps, subsequently causing her leg to become entrapped as well. A nearby bystander reacted quickly and activated the emergency stop switch, which stopped the escalator, but the girl remained entrapped for some time until fire, police, and nearby bystanders were able to disassemble the landing to free the girl. Continue reading