JERSEY CITY, N.J.—Screams and panic engulfed a commuter rail station Monday morning when an ascending escalator changed direction and started to head back down, causing some people to jump off mid-ride.

A spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the station, said five people were injured when the escalator malfunctioned around 9 a.m. at the Exchange Place PATH station in Jersey City.

Three were taken to the hospital as a precaution, according to Port Authority Spokesman Ron Marsico. None of the injuries was considered life-threatening. They ranged from back and neck pain to scrapes, bumps and bruises, Marsico said.

Nick Lukish, of Brooklyn, N.Y., said he was headed to work and was midway up the escalator when the moving staircase started going down.

"There was a stampede at the base of the escalator," Lukish said. "People started to panic and yell and scream, and I saw some people jump over to the down side of the escalator, so I jumped."




The Exchange Place station suffered extensive damage during Superstorm Sandy. PATH officials were investigating what caused Monday's escalator malfunction, "including whether Superstorm Sandy-related effects played a role," Marsico said.

Escalator service at Exchange Place will be suspended through Tuesday morning, Marsico said, adding that workers were looking at all PATH escalators throughout the system.