Audience confronted with locked exits after show
Movie-goers to IMAX in PVR, Koramangala, after watching Interstellar on November 26, were in for a surprise. At the end of the show, they realised that both the exit doors were locked.
The ushers didn't allow them to leave through the front entrance citing "procedures" and took nearly 10 minutes to find the key, while the audience waited long after the end credits had rolled.
Eshwar Sunderesan, 39, the author of Behind the Silicon Mask, who was in that audience for the 11:15 am show was appalled that fire safety regulations were violated. Sunderesan said: "Nothing untoward happened, but if a fire were to break out, all of us would've have been trapped inside. Rushing to the far-off entry door would've only caused a stampede."
Sunderesan later confronted the manager of PVR, "Prakash M, who blamed the incident on lapse by the security guard and said such an event hadn't occurred before." Sunderesan however wasn't impressed. "Even if it was one guard's lapse, there are no measures to double check. This is a violation of basic fire safety measures."
In order to raise awareness he tried contacting the Fire department; he called the Regional Fire Officer, Bangalore South, but was asked to file a complaint by email and "the officer hung up". On November 27, Sunderesan filed an email complaint with the DGP of Fire and Emergency Services. "But there has been no response."
Speaking to Bangalore Mirror, Om Prakash, DGP, Fire and Emergency Services, said, "I have received an email from someone informing me of the incident at PVR Cinemas last week. My field officers have been instructed to visit the spot and conduct an intense check, after which they will report back to me with the details. As such, we will be checking the premises from two perspectives: one, since it is located in a mall and should be adhering to fire safety norms prescribed for buildings; and two, since it comes under the Cinematography Act, its licence should be renewed every two years."
Sunderesan also got in touch with Beyond Carlton, an organisation run by the people who lost their family members in the Carlton fire tragedy. "I'm taking up the issue so that there is awareness about fire safety. People need to be aware that they can demand precautionary measures so that tragedies like Carlton can be avoided," Sunderesan says. Uday Vijayan of Beyond Carlton believes that with "doors locked, people could be like sitting ducks in case of an emergency. We have forwarded his complaint to the DGP and are awaiting a response."
A representative of PVR Cinemas said, "We have no such incident reported to us. We are investigating in the matter and will revert after inquiring it. PVR as an organization has always maintained the highest levels of security and safety for its patrons and will continue to follow it in future also".
(With inputs from Prakruti PK)
http://www.bangaloremirror.com/bangalore/others/No-fire-to-douse-but-heat-is-on-multiplex/articleshow/45388238.cms
Movie-goers to IMAX in PVR, Koramangala, after watching Interstellar on November 26, were in for a surprise. At the end of the show, they realised that both the exit doors were locked.
The ushers didn't allow them to leave through the front entrance citing "procedures" and took nearly 10 minutes to find the key, while the audience waited long after the end credits had rolled.
Eshwar Sunderesan, 39, the author of Behind the Silicon Mask, who was in that audience for the 11:15 am show was appalled that fire safety regulations were violated. Sunderesan said: "Nothing untoward happened, but if a fire were to break out, all of us would've have been trapped inside. Rushing to the far-off entry door would've only caused a stampede."
Sunderesan later confronted the manager of PVR, "Prakash M, who blamed the incident on lapse by the security guard and said such an event hadn't occurred before." Sunderesan however wasn't impressed. "Even if it was one guard's lapse, there are no measures to double check. This is a violation of basic fire safety measures."
In order to raise awareness he tried contacting the Fire department; he called the Regional Fire Officer, Bangalore South, but was asked to file a complaint by email and "the officer hung up". On November 27, Sunderesan filed an email complaint with the DGP of Fire and Emergency Services. "But there has been no response."
Speaking to Bangalore Mirror, Om Prakash, DGP, Fire and Emergency Services, said, "I have received an email from someone informing me of the incident at PVR Cinemas last week. My field officers have been instructed to visit the spot and conduct an intense check, after which they will report back to me with the details. As such, we will be checking the premises from two perspectives: one, since it is located in a mall and should be adhering to fire safety norms prescribed for buildings; and two, since it comes under the Cinematography Act, its licence should be renewed every two years."
Sunderesan also got in touch with Beyond Carlton, an organisation run by the people who lost their family members in the Carlton fire tragedy. "I'm taking up the issue so that there is awareness about fire safety. People need to be aware that they can demand precautionary measures so that tragedies like Carlton can be avoided," Sunderesan says. Uday Vijayan of Beyond Carlton believes that with "doors locked, people could be like sitting ducks in case of an emergency. We have forwarded his complaint to the DGP and are awaiting a response."
A representative of PVR Cinemas said, "We have no such incident reported to us. We are investigating in the matter and will revert after inquiring it. PVR as an organization has always maintained the highest levels of security and safety for its patrons and will continue to follow it in future also".
(With inputs from Prakruti PK)
http://www.bangaloremirror.com/bangalore/others/No-fire-to-douse-but-heat-is-on-multiplex/articleshow/45388238.cms
