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Sun Wukong
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Singapore
Home > Breaking News > Singapore > Story
Jan 23, 2010
Fire hazards at Mustafa
24-hour shopping centre has chalked up 45 safety violations in five years
<!-- by line --> By Carolyn Quek & Lester Kok
<!-- end by line --> <!--background story, collapse if none--> Problems and fixes
Problem No. 1: Passageways between the aisles were too narrow, allowing only one person to pass through at a time.
What was done: Some shelves were removed and the rest were spaced out.
Problem No. 2: Access to firefighting equipment and emergency exits was blocked by trolleys, baskets and boxes.
What was done: Yellow boxes were drawn around emergency exits and access paths to firefighting equipment. The words 'Keep Clear' were painted in bright yellow. Supervisors of nearby departments were made responsible for keeping the emergency exits clear. Building maintenance and safety manager Shamim Ahmad also patrols the entire building at least once a day to ensure the regulations are enforced by supervisors.
Problem No. 3: The first floor (it has two basement levels) of the main Mustafa Centre is allowed a maximum of 431 people at any time. During the December festive season, the limit was exceeded by about 50 per cent.
What was done: Cameras that can track the number of people going in and out of the building, and up or down to the other floors, were installed at all entrances and stairways. If the number of people on the ground floor of the main building reaches 400, security guards will limit access to the first floor until the number of customers drops, or direct customers to the newer Mustafa building across the road.
Problem No. 4: Unauthorised use of external walkways, where booths selling items like umbrellas were set up.
What was done: The booths were removed and the external walkways cleared of obstruction.
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Mustafa's common breaches include obstructing exit points and fire-fighting equipment, and using its external covered walkway for retail, the SCDF said in a release yesterday. -- ST PHOTO: ASHLEIGH SIM
<!-- story content : start --> ITS track record makes 24-hour Mustafa Centre one of Singapore's most dangerous buildings for fire safety. The 12,000 sq m shopping centre, which has four floors and two basement levels, has chalked up 45 fire safety violations - the highest by any building here in the past five years. Most of these violations led to a string of warnings and fines totalling $6,600. But it has also been taken to court for more serious breaches. In the past five years, Mustafa has been charged in court four times and fined $43,000 for fire safety breaches. In its latest court appearance on Tuesday, it was fined $17,000 for overcrowding and using its external corridor as a retail area without a permit.
On Jan 6, the Subordinate Courts granted the Singapore Civil Defence Force's (SCDF) request for a Fire Hazard Order against Mustafa Centre for repeated violations. In one of the more serious enforcement actions the SCDF can take, Mustafa can be fined up to $10,000 and $500 every day that it defaults on the order. SCDF can also order it to shut for 72 hours for very serious violations. Mustafa's common breaches include obstructing exit points and fire-fighting equipment, and using its external covered walkway for retail, the SCDF said in a release on Friday.
Read the full story in Saturday's edition of The Straits Times.
[email protected]
[email protected]
Home > Breaking News > Singapore > Story
Jan 23, 2010
Fire hazards at Mustafa
24-hour shopping centre has chalked up 45 safety violations in five years
<!-- by line --> By Carolyn Quek & Lester Kok
<!-- end by line --> <!--background story, collapse if none--> Problems and fixes
Problem No. 1: Passageways between the aisles were too narrow, allowing only one person to pass through at a time.
What was done: Some shelves were removed and the rest were spaced out.
Problem No. 2: Access to firefighting equipment and emergency exits was blocked by trolleys, baskets and boxes.
What was done: Yellow boxes were drawn around emergency exits and access paths to firefighting equipment. The words 'Keep Clear' were painted in bright yellow. Supervisors of nearby departments were made responsible for keeping the emergency exits clear. Building maintenance and safety manager Shamim Ahmad also patrols the entire building at least once a day to ensure the regulations are enforced by supervisors.
Problem No. 3: The first floor (it has two basement levels) of the main Mustafa Centre is allowed a maximum of 431 people at any time. During the December festive season, the limit was exceeded by about 50 per cent.
What was done: Cameras that can track the number of people going in and out of the building, and up or down to the other floors, were installed at all entrances and stairways. If the number of people on the ground floor of the main building reaches 400, security guards will limit access to the first floor until the number of customers drops, or direct customers to the newer Mustafa building across the road.
Problem No. 4: Unauthorised use of external walkways, where booths selling items like umbrellas were set up.
What was done: The booths were removed and the external walkways cleared of obstruction.
<!--end background story-->
<!-- end left side bar -->
Mustafa's common breaches include obstructing exit points and fire-fighting equipment, and using its external covered walkway for retail, the SCDF said in a release yesterday. -- ST PHOTO: ASHLEIGH SIM
<!-- story content : start --> ITS track record makes 24-hour Mustafa Centre one of Singapore's most dangerous buildings for fire safety. The 12,000 sq m shopping centre, which has four floors and two basement levels, has chalked up 45 fire safety violations - the highest by any building here in the past five years. Most of these violations led to a string of warnings and fines totalling $6,600. But it has also been taken to court for more serious breaches. In the past five years, Mustafa has been charged in court four times and fined $43,000 for fire safety breaches. In its latest court appearance on Tuesday, it was fined $17,000 for overcrowding and using its external corridor as a retail area without a permit.
On Jan 6, the Subordinate Courts granted the Singapore Civil Defence Force's (SCDF) request for a Fire Hazard Order against Mustafa Centre for repeated violations. In one of the more serious enforcement actions the SCDF can take, Mustafa can be fined up to $10,000 and $500 every day that it defaults on the order. SCDF can also order it to shut for 72 hours for very serious violations. Mustafa's common breaches include obstructing exit points and fire-fighting equipment, and using its external covered walkway for retail, the SCDF said in a release on Friday.
Read the full story in Saturday's edition of The Straits Times.
[email protected]
[email protected]
However they have the blessing of the PAP to do, so why pick on Mustaffa? 
