JOHOR BARU: Three days ago, after just two months on the job, a worker was forced to “run away” from his workplace.
On Saturday night, the ceiling above the toy shop where he worked collapsed, sending debris falling and forcing him to flee.
Ngui, who only wanted to be identified by his last name, recounted the incident during an interview at the mall in Taman Abad here.
He said he first heard sounds coming from the ceiling around 7pm.
“It started with small noises, then a noticeable crack appeared. The crack grew longer and debris began to fall before the entire ceiling collapsed,” he said.
The collapse, which occurred on the mall’s first level, startled shoppers. Fortunately, no one was injured. Images and videos of the incident have since gone viral on social media.
Ngui, 23, who started working at the shop about two months ago, urged the mall’s management to take action and inspect the building’s safety and maintenance. He is among several workers and shop owners who have voiced concerns over the building’s safety following the collapse.
A cosmetics shop owner, who gave her name as Lau, believes that the damage could have been caused by the wires holding up the ceiling frame.
Stay away: The collapsed ceiling at a shopping mall in Taman Abad, Johor Baru. — Photo courtesy of Community Roda Johor Facebook
“You could hear the wires snapping one by one. They had become rusty after being exposed to humid air-conditioning condensation.
“Some of the debris fell onto my store, damaging the lighting system and some of the make-up products that I sell.”
Lau, 32, said the management should conduct an inspection to prevent future incidents.
“We are lucky that no one was harmed, but at the same time, we should take precautions.”
A hair salon worker, who only wanted to be known as Tan, claimed that there was a similar incident the previous weekend though on a much smaller scale.
“It happened on the ground floor,” she said, adding that the building is very old.
A check by The Star found that the site had been sealed off from the public with construction workers busy carrying out repairs on the damaged ceiling.
Johor Baru South OCPD Asst Comm Raub Selamat said police are investigating the matter.
“Although no police report has been lodged, we are proceeding with the investigation,” he said.
