Year after Villaggio, silence is deafening
One year ago today, 19 people - mostly small children - lost their lives in what now appears to have been a preventable disaster.
As images spread across the world - of thick smoke billowing from Villaggio mall, of firefighters looking confused and unprepared, of parents breaking down in tears of grief, of lifeless children being pulled from the roof - the question on everyone’s lips was, “Why? Why is this happening?”
In the days after the fire, local media and government officials called for action and accountability, and for lessons to be learned. But a year later, those voices have all gone quiet.
However, Doha News has taken coverage of this story seriously, and sought to bring a critical depth of reporting to Qatar’s community over the past year.
Today we continue that commitment with the release of an exhaustive 56-page report about the fire and its implications. We interviewed dozens of people for the publication, including the families of the victims, mall officials, safety and health experts and members of the community who continue to be haunted by what happened.
We are releasing this ebook for free. Please read it, give us your feedback, and distribute widely.
http://dohanews.co/post/51536579765/a-year-after-the-villaggio-fire-crit...
evacuate or ask or look around or...............?
No not including me.
YOU?
We were having dinner the other night at one of the restaurants in City Center when the fire alarm in the restaurant went off. I was so surprised because there was no response both from the customers and the restaurant staff. I was expecting the staff at least to let everyone knows what was going on but nada as if nothing was happening. SO to say that people have learned from the previous incident was a misnomer. You can install alarms in every corner of an establishment and make them all work but if people are not trained properly to respond to them then they're all useless.
A Very SAD tragedy & deplorable disaster in the history of Doha-Qatar. May GOD bless them all. AMEEN
Completely agree with you in this regard, com'on qatar please learn a lesson.
This incident had happened a year ago but still it makes us as emotional as we were at that time. putting blame on one person will surely be wrong. so many persons have been found mistaken. We can only pray for the lil angels and for their parents. :'(.....
for the two fire fighters i can only pray and applaud for their bravery, you guys were heroes.
May their souls RIP.
Love you all :*
I guess we can leave this thread ATLEAST from spoiling with our petty squabbles.
Mods: If you deleted the unwanted comments, my this comment should also be removed as it doesnt make any sense. Thanks.
Very Sad Incident
as reflected on different construction specifications, all design criterias are based. During actual construction of each and every stalls should the review be made because the kind of stalls who will occupy a space means it will affect the totality of the safety and security system. And commercial malls is one of the hardest to manage in terms of if an emergency situation arises.
expensive materials, the possibility of fire is always there because material is just "one". Workmanship is another. MAny things are considered in construction including economics so use of "cheap" materials is one good option.
As I said above, the fire safety of any building is a system which in the case of the Villagio fire last year was "somewhat" overlook.
During design stages, the individual rentable spaces in a commercial mall as big as Villagio is taken theoretically.
They still have learnt nothing from this... they are still making buildings out of wood and only the exterior wall is made of concrete...
Ikea is one more example...
...maybe Qatar is a poor country which cannot afford the high price of concrete
I read there.... "that the Security stopped them from evacuating saying the fire was taken care off"...
Did anybody catch him? question him? Why he said so?
Even if he did make a mistake why did he not help the nursery kids and staff in escaping? or why he didnt help the Fire brigade to locate the nursery?...
Something looks funny...
Was he a security? or was he a "fake security" trying to stop the kids from leaving?
it happened already. so the issue is did they learned from it, I would say yes because they did the retrofittings and maybe restructuring.
As to those responsible, it is up to the court to decide. Heads should roll definitely but let the authorities decide.
They might have...AFTER the death of those people.
those renovation and retrofittings of fire sfety equipments?
things are not culprits, people are.
didn't get your message?
hmmm... so the exhaust system and the exit ladder have to walk of their own and fix themselves where they are supposed to be!!!
Its too heartbreaking to read... I had to stop midway...
the real culprit is the lack of exhaust system, first. Second is the lack of exit ladder from the place of incident.
The other are administrative in nature but because many lives were lost, it was multiplied many times the bad consequence.
The first two I think was already addressed. So the administrative portion that needs to be addressed. As said by many, heads should roll.
the govt wants Qataris to only shop and pray but not think. The people have complied.
.....The global community also wondered, how, in a country with the world's highest per capita income, diplomatic aspirations and plans to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup, officials were unable to manage a simple rescue response to a fire that never should have raged so far out of control.
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2013/05/2013528112120658448.html
Thank you.
Mandi
Just read complete book. It was surreal to me. I didn't even know that such a thing happened at Villagio last year as I have been there twice.(I came to Doha last month)
Came to know about this fire some 2, 3 days ago. And that Qatar is prone to "fires". hmmm...
We hope it may not happen anymore......
Speechless...
Hope we see no such DAYS in DOHA again...
RIP...
It was a sad tragedy which shaken the world for a moment. Sadly it passed 12 months n mother of justice closed her mouth, dunno coz of dollars or Qatari riyals!
and corresponding implementation of what is supposed to be there in the first place. Those equipments and structures, etc etc. And even other malls were closed for a while and also implement those requirements for fire safety. So it is not totally silent.
Sounds like a good job done. However, shall read when am back from work.
Although it seems as if the authorities would like to sweep the entire incident under the rug, people with a conscience will never forget that terrible day.
Our hearts go out to the families of the victims of this terrible tragedy.
'May Those Sweet, Innocent Children Rest in Peace'