Residents of Kerinchi PPR were shocked when they found out that a service elevator at their Public Housing Project plummetted from a height of 15 meters and injured eight residents in the process.
The incident was caused by the malfunctioning elevator car’s braking system at around 2.30pm. Images of the Pantai Fire and Rescue Station on-site, helping the victims surfaced shortly after the incident occurred.
Source: Facebook
One victim said that the incident happened as they alighted the elevator on the fifth floor when the elevator malfunctioned and plummeted to the ground without any warning.
The incident caused injuries to eight victims, with four of them suffering broken bones.
Unfortunately, incidents involving elevators at the PPR aren’t rare as residents have reported a prior incident happening at the same block the previous year!
Source: Facebook
“The same incident happened last year, but no one died, just minor injuries. Usually, local authorities maintain the elevators in this PPR area, but after a few days, the elevators will break down again.”
Elevators, in general, are supported by multiple cables which are supposed to be strong enough to carry more than the weight of a fully-loaded car.
The incident caught the attention of many, including Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who has called for a comprehensive maintenance audit to be conducted at all People’s Housing Projects (PPR).
Terkejut mendengar insiden lif di pangsapuri Projek Perumahan Rakyat (PPR) Kampung Kerinchi. Simpati buat lapan mangsa yang mengalami kecederaan. Semoga diberikan kesembuhan yang sempurna. Perlu audit penyelenggaraan yang menyeluruh untuk semua PPR.
— Dr Wan Azizah Ismail (@drwanazizah) August 2, 2019
We pray for the speedy recovery of the victims of the incident. The people living in these projects are already disadvantaged and poor; let’s hope this incident does not set them back further.
Also read: Long Escalator in Hong Kong Malfunctions, Causes Injury and Chaos in Mall
