SINGAPORE: Five shopping malls were found to have padlocked several exit doors during recent enforcement checks, breaching fire safety requirements, said the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) on Wednesday (Aug 26).
These breaches followed access control measures imposed by the Government to curb the spread of COVID-19, which include requiring all malls and large standalone stores that exceed 930 sq m in gross floor area to hold only one person for every 10 sq m.
AdvertisementAdvertisementBy Jul 31, 4,425 checks had been conducted in various locations including 113 malls, said SCDF in response to CNA's queries. These checks were conducted proactively and also in response to public feedback, it said.
Last week, a reader's letter was published on TODAY highlighting the threat of entry restrictions at malls to fire safety. The reader noted in the letter how some entrances and exits were being locked from the outside with chains to comply with the COVID-19 occupancy limits, naming those at People's Park Centre among them.
[h=3]READ: Commentary: Will COVID-19 spell the end of strata malls?[/h][h=3]READ: Commentary: Why I still stay home most days even though circuit breaker has been lifted[/h] AdvertisementAdvertisementTODAY reported that People's Park Centre is among the five malls that breached the fire safety rules and were issued Fire Hazard Abatement Notices and/or fines. SCDF declined to disclose the names of the other four malls.
In its response, SCDF said that all malls have since rectified the infringements.
"Buildings are still required to comply with fire safety requirements, including ensuring quick and safe evacuation of persons during a fire emergency, even as they implement COVID-19 safe management measures," said SCDF.
SCDF said it has worked with the owners of buildings where access controls have been implemented to ensure that fire safety remains prioritised.
Buildings that restrict access to entry or exit points must ensure these points can be automatically unlocked for evacuation and physical barricades must be easily removable, it added.
Last Sunday, TODAY reported that it had visited seven shopping centres in central Singapore and found that they were largely abiding by fire safety requirements.
These include the People's Park Complex and People's Park Centre near Chinatown, ION Orchard, Plaza Singapura, 313@Somerset, Ngee Ann City and Wisma Atria.
However, shop owners and shoppers said that there could be more signs to point them to possible exits in an emergency, TODAY reported.
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