MALACCA: Only a section of the handicraft bazaar at Dataran Pahlawan Megamall in Banda Hilir here has been ordered to be closed temporarily from yesterday, following the collapse of its ceiling structure last night.
Malacca Public Works, Transport, Public Facilities, Infrastructure and Flood Mitigation Committee chairman Datuk Rahmad Mariman said the closure order was made for safety and to make way for repairs and clearing work to be carried out in the basement of the shopping mall.
“The closure does not involve the existing 133 handicraft shops but only the area where the affected four handicraft shops are located. The shops are owned by the Malacca Historic City Council (MBMB).
“We are worried that there will be another incident in the bazaar area involving several other handicraft shops as the ceiling structure is not strong,” he told reporters here yesterday.
He said the collapse was traced to a subtle leak on the upper level of the shopping mall, in addition to traders hanging weighted sales items on the ceiling boards.
Repairs on the ceiling and pipe leakage will be done by the joint management body (JMB) of the mall, Rahmad said.
He said MBMB has yet to estimate cost of repairs while losses to traders has also not been identified.
The incident, which occurred at about 10pm, was captured on surveillance video and shared on social media. No casualties were reported. - Bernama