25 trapped in elevators in skyscraper fire evacuation

A fire in the basement of the 40 floor Global Bank Towe on Calle 50, caused panic, and   injuries, and left 25 people trapped in elevators on Friday (May 14).

At street there was traffic chaos with cars unable to move for over 30 minutes as smoke poured out of the building.
There were no serious injuries but a dozen people, including two pregnant women, were treated by paramedics suffering from smoke inhalation during the evacuation. Seven were taken to hospital.
Four of the building’s six elevators operating under an “intelligent” system did not work and it was reported that emergency lights in the building were not working and on some floors no fire alarm worked and doors to stair wells had to be forced open.
Among those caught in the panic evaciation was former first lady Vivian Fernandez de Torrijos Republic, whose offices are on the 33rd floor.

 The incident occurred near 10:00 am when “pay day” traffic was already peaking,  causing  huge jams that spread into other areas, while hundreds of vehicles on Calle 50 had to stand and wait until after over 30 minutes two lanes were opened , to allow some of the traffic to filter through.
Initial reports said that an electrical transformer had exploded, but Union Fenosa said that the equipment did not explode or suffer internal damage.
One visitor, who declined to give his name, said he was on the 32nd floor when the alarm sounded and that between the floor and the E-10, the top parking lot, he saw only two lamps working and the 30th floor several men had to break the door to the stairs for people to escape.
Workers were reported as saying there was no evacuation plan and that
the tower stairs were very narrow and barely fit two people side by side. Several reiterated that the emergency lights did not work on many floors.
Finger pointing quickly began with La Prensa reporting that The administrator of the building, Eugenia de Alba, said that there is a memorandum of evacuation. "Everyone who has been in a building evacuation knows they have to use stairs, which were not closed”
She said it was the responsibility of each office to havean evacuation plan and trained staff to implement it. It was not just the responsibility of the building.

Asked about the lights that were not working she said that the experts will report what had happened.
Mendive Edgar, deputy director of the Security Office of the Fire Department said that it had conducted an inspection of the building and reviewed their evacuation plans were aware that there was adequate signage.

He said that in the coming days the exact cause of the fire will be publicized

All skyscrapers are obliged to have evacuation plans Alarm systems must be active at all times; sprinklers must   clear, signs must indicate escape routes, and there must be permanent lighting on the stairs and emergency lamps.

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