This is the moment a faulty ascending escalator whizzes backwards with dozens of commuters standing on it before they all pile on top of each other at the bottom.

The incident was filmed at Xinpu Station on the Taipei Metro in the Taiwanese capital Taipei on 11th March.

According to the news site Baidu, the ascending escalator suddenly plummeted without warning while around 30 passengers were standing on it.

Several commuters sustained minor cuts and scrapes in the incident, while one person suffered a sprained ankle.

In the CCTV footage, commuters are seen nearly reaching the top of the escalator as it suddenly speeds backwards and they frantically run up the steps in vain.

In the next scene, several passengers fall over at the bottom of the escalator, causing a pile-up of bodies.

The operator said the following day that the incident was caused by a fault in the brake circuit and that it is continuing to provide care to the injured passengers.

It also apologised for the incident and said maintenance staff are working on the matter to establish the exact cause of the problem and ensure it does not happen again.

The operator added that all lifts and escalators at the tube station are maintained every month and the final check took place on 7th March this year, when everything appeared as normal.