28-05-09 Jaya Supermarket collapses

UPDATE: 2 more bodies were recovered on friday afternoon..3 more bodies were found on saturday..making the death toll rise to 7..they found all the bodies and no one is left trapped underneath..residents may have to evacuate

Once an icon landmark of Seksyen 14,Petaling Jaya, one quarter of Jaya Supermarket building collapsed yesterday during demolition works. It was closed down on Feb 2008 and was abandoned until recently when demolition works was in progress to rebuild a new building, a new lifestyle shopping mall with a cinema and department stores. There was a total of more than 80 workers on the site. 9 of them were trapped underneath the debris..2 workers were pulled out alive at 5:45pm and 6pm respectively. 2 workers were found dead.Their bodies were recovered at 6.44pm and 10.25pm while another is feared dead. Four more workers are still trapped underneath the tangle of steel and concrete chunk. Search and rescue works are still going on for the remaining workers. Okay.....this sounds like a lame news report from me..LOL..

-the crowd..you could see half of the collapsed building still dangling there

Anyways..i was having tuition while the building collapsed..my tuition centre is a 100m away from the site..when i went down at 5pm for break time i saw people standing and looking at Jaya Supermarket..the air was filled with dust and i could see something like water sprinkles coming down..but it wasnt..lol..it was like a waterfall of dust..i thought it was probably because of demolition works and they blew the place up..so i walked towards there and there were lots of people standing at the five foot way and pavements..i went in the bookshop and i started to think whether it was on purpose or is it an accident when Max came and told me he heard a guy screaming Tolong Tolong..so it collpased..i freaked out and rushed out of the bookshop..i saw workers who manage to escape the accident running everywhere..the lady whom i just the bought shoe whitener from got interviewed by the Star..what a coincidence..lol. The RHB bank worker asked one of the construction site workers whether there will people trapped beneath and i heard him say banyak..thats when i knew there will be death..

-5 storeys of the building collapsed..i think where popular bookshop used to be

-the back view

I stood there amongst the crowd..people stopped their daily errands..shop owners and workers and passers by stood there taking pictures and videos..some on handphones telling their friends and family what they just witnessed..if im not mistaken..i think the building collapsed 5-10 mins before i came down at 5pm..after 15-20 mins..the police and fire and rescue department came..the police conducted the massive grid-lock there as people stopped their cars to see what was going on..he was holding a sub-machine gun on his shoulders..i mean..why do you need a machine gun to conduct traffic? by the time they came it was abit too late..not to say that our police doesnt do a good job but maybe not as efficient and quick as the US.

-the firemen searching for survivors in the rubble

When i was there..3 police cars and 2 fire and rescue department trucks were there..i saw people talking..making assumptions on how many people were underneath..strangers asking each other questions about the happenings..i saw the construction workers who managed to escape holding their safety helmet and tools..standing there dazed..not knowing what to do..i saw the shock and fear in their eyes..they were traumatized..

-the firemen taking out the body of 28 year old Maskor

I had to go back to tuition after that..the whole tuition was talking about it..my teacher even mistaken the dust from the collapsed building as haze..haha..during tuition..i heard the ambulance's siren..it kept ringing in my head..either someone's life is being rescued or taken away..I should have stood there longer as someone was rescued 15mins after that

At my 2nd break at 7:30pm..i went down again..Being a typical Malaysian of course i couldnt help being keh po chi la..so i walked there again..people were still standing there with their family and friends..joining in the "excitement"..i know there is nothing to be excited and happy about but somehow you cant help it..you cant help the anxiety and being so anxious especially when you are so near the actual site..this time..more people came to help..there were about 50 policemen,50 fire and rescue team..30 Rela people and others..there were more than 10 police cars..5 ambulance..6 fire trucks..forensic team..civil defence department..traffic police..Quick Response Team..Special Malaysia Disaster and Rescue Team (SMART)..trucks..cranes and excavators and MBPJ ( although i honestly dont know why they are even there..arent they suppose to be saman-ing people..lol )
i saw policemen standing there and smoking..after that i had to go back to tuition again..

-putting the second body found in the police truck

When my tuition ended at 10pm..i came down..as i predicted..people were still standing there..talking..eating at the nearby mamak shop..just to be a part of the "crowd"..to feel the atmostphere..to see whether were there survivors or perished workers..i saw Elina and being a pat poh again we both walked there again..haha..i went there like 3 times already..i crossed the police line that spelled jangan melintasi..the ones you see on tv..=D
we were so bored we even took picture of us crossing the line..i saw people bringing video cameras there to tape the aftermath..we even took pictures of the collapsed site..the search and rescue works were still going on..i heard someone saying that the 3rd person was found dead..i had to leave after that..just after that they found another body..and the vip's arrived..sigh..should have stayed longer

-the fire truck

-using a crane to lift the concrete chunck

I used to go there when i was young..it was part of my childhood memories..and now its gone..it even took a few life's away. I never experienced something like this before..i have never been so near an actual accident site like this..it was something new and exciting yet sad..Although no passer by or malaysians were hurt but my deepest sympathy goes out to the indonesian workers who didnt survive and i hope they find the remaining workers quickly..

-the blue building we grew fond of..what is left of part of my childhood memory

ps: I know it sounds like a dramatic essay but its not..im just writing based on what i saw yesterday