Mum's horror as toddler's leg crushed by airport escalator

Julian Diaczok's leg was broken when his foot got caught in an escalator at the Vancouver International Airport. Photo / Andrea Diaczok

A Canadian mother has been left devastated after her two-year-old son's leg was crushed in an airport escalator.

Andrea Diaczok, her husband and their boy Julian were at Vancouver International Airport when Justin's shoe became caught between the railing and the stairs.

With Justin's foot getting closer and closer to the bottom of the escalator, they desperately tried to reach for the emergency stop button but it was too late.

"His whole boot basically disappeared," Diaczok told the Calgary Herald.

"The teeth bit onto his toe midway … I started screaming for help.

"I didn't even know if his foot was there … I didn't know if there's only a stump there at this point.

"It twisted his leg around and broke his leg and then the entire foot of the boot disappeared in the side of the escalator."

Julian's boot was completely shredded by the escalator. Photo / Andrea Diaczok

Andrea, who is 22 weeks pregnant, said she did everything she could to try and pull her son free but it didn't work.

Justin's boot was wedged so far into the escalator that they were unable to pull him free.

Thankfully bystanders and airport staff had a pair of scissors and were able to cut the young boy free.

While Julian suffered a broken leg and some bruises, Diaczok noted her son was lucky he was wearing boots, which helped protect his foot.

"He's good but I would say he's lucky," she said.

"I can imagine a barefoot and a little foam flip-flop. Yes, his boot got stuck, but it also gave him a little bit of protection."

Jody Armstrong, a spokeswoman with the Vancouver Airport Authority, said safety is a priority and an investigation into the incident is underway.