Elderly man injured as escalator comes to a halt.

An elderly man suffered injuries to his head and arms after an escalator on Rome's Metro B line came to a sudden halt, according to reports in online newspaper RomaToday.

The incident occurred at EUR Magliana, in the south of the capital, at about 07.30 on Monday 22 July.

Witnesses spoke of hearing a loud bang before seeing the elderly man "flying" down the escalator. The man is reported to have hit his face off one of the steel steps.

An investigation is underway into the cause of the incident which has led to the temporary closure of all escalators at EUR Magliana, as a precaution.

The escalators on Rome's metro network have made international news in recent times, beginning with the accident at the Repubblica station on Metro A. Dozens of people were injured after the escalator sped up, resulting in the closure of the station for eight months.

Barberini station, also on the A line, has been closed since one of its escalators collapsed in March. A recent report in Rome daily newspaper Il Messaggero suggested the station would not reopen until Christmas.

Photo RomaToday