2 tourists hurt after debris falls from Penang heritage building

 Penang government urges owners of heritage buildings to carry out safety inspections following the incident along Armenian Street.

The two tourists were struck by stones and timber from a first-floor beam.

GEORGE TOWN:

Two Sri Lankan tourists were injured after being struck by debris that fell from a heritage building along Armenian Street, a popular tourist spot here.

Penang fire and rescue department assistant director of operations John Sagun Francis said the victims were identified as Mohamad Ammtar, 66, and Fatimah, 55. They have been taken to Penang Hospital for treatment.

John said the tourists were scheduled to return to Sri Lanka tomorrow.

He said the debris comprised stones and timber from a first-floor beam. The affected building houses a grocery shop on the ground floor, while the upper floor appears to be unoccupied.

Meanwhile, the Penang government urged owners of heritage buildings to carry out safety inspections following the incident.

State tourism committee chairman Wong Hon Wai said George Town World Heritage Incorporated and Penang Island City Council (MBPP) had been asked to issue the advisory to owners of heritage buildings in the state.

He said the incident underscored the need to ensure the structural safety of old and heritage buildings to prevent similar occurrences.

“Attention should not be limited to the building involved in today’s incident. All heritage and old buildings must be inspected to ensure they are safe, as they could pose a danger to pedestrians and visitors,” he told reporters after visiting the scene.

Wong said the state government was waiting for the full report from the authorities to determine the cause of the incident.

He said immediate assistance would be extended to the two tourists, and that the state government had contacted the Sri Lankan High Commission in Kuala Lumpur to coordinate the necessary support.

Meanwhile, state local government and town and country planning committee chairman H’ng Mooi Lye said the structural failure was believed to have been caused by termite damage to a wooden beam.

He proposed that the MBPP undertake termite inspections of old buildings, particularly those within the George Town heritage site.

H’ng also urged owners of old and heritage buildings to engage professional engineers or building surveyors to carry out regular structural inspections. - FMT