PPR Kg Kerinchi lift plunge a freak accident, says FT minister

KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 3): The lift plunge horror incident at the people's housing project (PPR) Kampung Kerinchi was a “freak accident that should not have happened”, Federal Territories Minister Khalid Abdul Samad was reported saying by The Star today.

"When the car is speeding downwards at more than the usual speed, there are brakes that would have activated even when there is a loss of power.

"The Occupational Safety and Health Department (DOSH) will be investigating the cause of the incident and the lift's manufacturers from South Korea will be here to conduct a forensic investigation," he said after a visit of the PPR today.

He said the report “was expected” to be completed in two weeks.

Khalid also revealed that the lift in question was maintained regularly by City Hall (DBKL) and even “had a lifting equipment certificate or Sijil Permit Mesin Angkat from DOSH that was valid until January 2020”.

The FT minister was also asked about whether “similar incidences had occurred” before at the PPR and Khalid said he could not “verify but according to some of the residents, there have been minor ones but nothing as serious as this".

Meanwhile, the daily also reported that Khalid said there will be “an audit of the other lifts in all PPRs managed by DBKL to ensure that this does not happen again".

DOSH Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya told the English-language paper that it was “the responsibility of the building owners to ensure that the lifts were in good condition and safe to use”.

"Legal action can be taken if they fail to keep the elevator in good condition and cause accidents," it said in a statement.

Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Nor Hisham Ahmad Dahlan said yesterday that he wanted all 11 contractors appointed by DBKL for lift maintenance to “get cracking” to ensure the 500 lifts they have to maintain are in ship-shape, reported Bernama.

Eight people were injured when the lift at a PPR Kampung Kerinchi block plunged from the fifth floor yesterday afternoon.

One of the victims was 10-year-old boy who had his legs broken.

Twenty personnel from the Kuala Lumpur Fire and Rescue Department took 15 minutes to rescue the victims who sustained various injuries in the incident. 

All were taken to the University of Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC).

Khalid said the victims' hospital bills would be paid by DBKL.