DALLAS — Several women at the Mary Kay convention in Dallas were injured this afternoon when an escalator stopped abruptly, causing them to crash into each other.

The women were leaving lunch and on the ground floor escalator in Building "D" near Lamar Street when the incident occurred, said Frank Poe, Dallas Convention Center director. At least 10 people received minor injuries and five were transported to nearby hospitals, he said.

Poe said officials were trying to determine what happened. "It stopped suddenly and caught several of them in a lurch," he said. The women were surprised as some fell on each other.

Some women suffered scrapes, bruises and one may have sprained an ankle. He did not know the condition of the women who were transported.

It was unclear whether the escalator was heading up or down since the escalator could reverse directions.

Dallas Fire-Rescue spokeswoman Sherrie Lopez said the escalator had been going one way when it started going backwards. She said two people were transported and that about six people may have been knocked down.

A Mary Kay spokesman said the women who were affected by the escalator incident appeared positive and upbeat.

"That is indictive of the Mary Kay woman," said spokesman Crayton Webb.

Dallas-based Mary Kay Inc. was expected to bring more than 35,000 of its independent sales reps to the city for its annual series of seminars, which began this week and was to last until Aug. 2.

Participants will attend training sessions and pep talks, and 829 top performers will get the coveted keys to Mary Kay's signature pink Cadillacs.