‘Stairway to heaven’: BRAC University students panic as escalator suddenly speeds up; video goes viral

Every day life can flip into a nightmare in a split second, especially when the technology we trust decides to go rogue. A university hallway turned chaotic as students faced an unexpected malfunction. Their screams were recorded in a viral clip that has everyone talking about safety. These moments remind us how fragile our daily commutes can be, from subways to campuses, highlighting urgent calls for better checks on the machines we depend on for everyday use.

What exactly happened

Students at BRAC University in Dhaka panicked when an escalator inside the campus suddenly sped up due to a technical glitch, as shown in a viral 16-second video shared widely on social media. The footage shows the escalator accelerating unusually fast while several students were riding it, turning a normal moment into chaos with screams filling the air. Those on board struggled to balance, grabbing handrails as it raced toward the top.

What does the viral video show

In the clip, students hurry to step off or jump away upon reaching the floor, while onlookers nearby freeze in motion, almost shocked and join the yells of confusion. BRAC University student Tahmid Kamal posted the video on social media with the caption, “Stairway to heaven for a reason”.

Terrified students clutched rails and each other to avoid tumbling, rushing off the end in a frantic scramble that luckily caused no injuries. One side of the escalator seemed normal while the other flew at alarming speed, but quick and smart thinking got everyone down safely amid the panic.

What did the University respond

BRAC University hasn't released an official statement on the malfunction's cause, possibly a mechanical fault, control error, or poor upkeep, or any safety steps taken. The lack of response has fueled online debates. Once the video blew up online, people on social media started worrying big time about safety on campus and what went wrong with that escalator glitch, making it speed up like crazy.