Narrow escape as ceiling collapses at craft bazaar

MELAKA - A shop worker, along with a customer and her baby, were almost hit by a ceiling collapsing at a craft bazaar in Dataran Pahlawan Megamall in Banda Hilir at about 10 pm yesterday.

Mustapa Seman, 45, called it a close shave just when nearly all the traders were leaving after closing their booths but he was still there serving customers before hearing a cracking sound with small fragments falling from the ceiling.

"The ceiling suddenly crashed down but it’s a relief that no one was hurt. I’ve heard the same sounds before but I thought it was normal since the zone above our business area was turned into a valet parking area,” he told reporters here today.

A 23-second video went viral on social media last night, showing a man almost hit by the debris from the collapsed ceiling.

Another trader, Abdul Halim Embi, 55, said that previously traders there had made more than 10 complaints over the past three years about the worn-out business area but no action was forthcoming from the management.

He claimed that the problem is caused by a sewage pipeline leak in the bazaar area under the ground floor of the shopping centre which housed 70 traders.

"Thankfully, there were no casualties and we hope the management is now more attentive and will overcome this problem immediately because it has worsened since the ground above was turned into valet parking.

"We pay a monthly rent of RM250 and a maintenance cost of RM180, so we hope this can be resolved especially during the school holiday season when more tourists come and restore our business which was badly affected in the last two years,” he said.

Meanwhile, operation commander of the Jalan Kubu Fire and Rescue Station (BBP) Senior Fire Officer II Hairuddin Atan said they received an emergency call at about 10 am today and despatched a fire-brigade with seven personnel to the mall.

He said the collapse of the ceiling covered an area of 25x30 feet and an inspection ensured there was no more danger in that area.

"This collapse may have been due to the rainy weather which pooled water on the ground above, with the load weakening the ceiling,” he said. - BERNAMA