Holiday turns into tragedy! A 5-year-old loses his life after his hand gets stuck in an escalator

A 5-year-old boy has died in Japan during a family holiday after his hand became trapped in an escalator at a ski resort in Hokkaido, Japanese media reported, citing the police.

The incident occurred on Sunday morning, December 28, at the Asarigawa Onsen ski resort in the city of Otaru. According to authorities, the child, identified as Hinata Goto, was preparing to step off the escalator when he fell and his right hand became stuck in the mechanism.

The device was equipped with a safety mechanism that normally stops operation in the event of a blockage, but this mechanism did not activate. The escalator stopped only after the child’s mother pressed the emergency stop button. Rescue teams worked for about 40 minutes to dismantle part of the device and free the child, who was unconscious. He was transported to hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

Resort management stated that the safety mechanism had been disabled earlier in the day. Police have launched an investigation to determine whether there was professional negligence in the construction, maintenance, or operation of the equipment. The escalator, installed about six years ago, is approximately 30 meters long and 60 centimeters wide, has no handrails, and is used to connect the parking area to the ski slopes. Local media report that other visitors have previously stumbled while using the same device.

“KORÇA BOOM”