Megaplex and safety hazard

The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Mon, 05/14/2007 7:45 AM | Opinion

Your city page articles on Saturday, May 5, Jakarta plays with fire for the love of money and Belezza not yet ready to operate: Fire department, reminded me of my recent experience dealing with building management's lack of concern for safety at the new Blitz Megaplex/Grand Indonesia.

It was March 23 when my friend and I went to see the movie 300 at the Blitz Megaplex. Screening was in Studio 1, at 7:15 p.m.

We got into the elevator on the ground floor with some six other people. When we reached floor six, suddenly the elevator stopped and later dropped to the ground floor. The security guard in charge on the ground floor said it happened several times - as if there is nothing wrong with it. Scared by the incident, my friend and I decided to take the stairs to the eighth floor where the Blitz Megaplex is located.

It turned that our staircase experience was not any better. Some floors were totally dark. Some railings were still covered with plastic. Tiles as well as construction garbage were piled in corners. Some of the floors were unfinished. The worst was on some floors we could smell the strong stink of urine.

My question is in case of fire or any emergency situation, how safe is this Blitz Megaplex/Grand Indonesia - considering how unfriendly their staircase is which I believe would be the only exit if there was a fire.

Also, construction work remains ongoing, as you can see unfinished floors and ceilings, cables hanging here and there as well as construction workers hanging around watching the visitors.

I hope Blitz Megaplex/Grand Indonesia will address this safety-related matter immediately, instead of only thinking of getting visitors despite the fact that the building remains under construction and might be a potential safety hazard.

SARI P. SETIOGI
Jakarta

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