AN INVESTIGATION has found that a department store was not at fault after a teenager was seriously injured in a fall from an escalator.

The 18-year-old woman was rushed to hospital after falling two floors at Debenhams at the Market Place Shopping Centre in December.

A Bolton Council investigation into the incident has found that the fall was caused by ‘misuse of the escalator’ at the store, and that no health and safety laws had been breached.

The teenager suffered injuries to her head, legs and back in the fall, which resulted in the shop being closed on the evening of December 21.

Her injuries were said to be serious but not life-threatening.

A council spokesman said: “We carried out a full investigation and found that the accident was caused by misuse of the escalator.

“Debenhams could not have reasonably foreseen the accident and there was no breach of health and safety legislation.

“The installation and design of the escalator is in compliance with the relevant British Standards.”

It is believed that the woman was on the first floor of the store and fell to the lower ground floor.

A Debenhams spokesperson said: “We are pleased with the council’s findings.”

After the fall, one eyewitness said: “It all happened so fast. She fell all the way down to the bottom floor. She fell backwards, not face down. I heard screams and banging. People thought it was gun shots at first as the banging was so loud. I think it was the girl falling and banging into things as she fell down.”