Being stuck inside of a lift can be a terrifying experience but being stuck 60-metres above the ground behind glass windows is a whole new level of terrifying. Imagine how these tourists must’ve felt when the moving vertical platform or observation deck of the famous Taming Sari Tower stopped working.
Yesterday (Sunday, 2nd July), it was reported that 36 visitors were stuck in the iconic revolving gyro tower in Bandar Hilir, Melaka, for about an hour. According to NST, it was said that the Taming Sari’s platform stopped moving halfway through its descent from the top, leaving the trapped tourist hanging 60-metres above the ground.
The incident apparently occurred at around 5:30pm. One of the tourists recalled the incident saying that the tower did a 360-degree spin twice while it was still at the top before coming to a complete stop halfway down. “I assumed the platform came to a halt to allow tourists to take pictures. After a while, I discovered that the platform had stopped due to a power outage,” she told the media.
Apparently, some of the tourists experienced shortness of breath because the platform of the 110-metre-tall tower has no windows and only 1 service door. Thankfully, tower management sent maintenance workers to do repairs on the halted observation deck and manually brought it down so that the passengers were able to exit safely.
Melaka Fire and Rescue Department arrived at the scene shortly after receiving a distress call at around 5:58pm. However, due to the power outage, it was said that the fire personnel had to pry open the door so that everyone could exit the panoramic tower’s platform.
“We oversaw the rescue operation to ensure the safety of all the victims, who included 26 adults, eight children, one elderly person, and one person with disabilities,” said Mohd Hanif Mustafa, spokesperson of the Melaka Fire and Rescue Department.
Thankfully, no one suffered any serious injuries during the incident. In the event that you’re stuck in an enclosed platform or lift, remain calm, push the emergency button or intercom to call for help, or contact the emergency hotline provided. Stay safe everyone!
Watch the video of the full incident below:
Sources: NST, TheRakyatPost
