A visit to Chinatown Complex took an unexpected turn for a member of the public after an incident involving a missed step near a God of Fortune statue on Jan 6. The situation drew attention after a 58-year-old man shared his experience with Shin Min Daily News, raising concerns about safety around the newly installed display.
Missed Step While Taking Photos
The man, surnamed Huang, said he was on the first floor of Chinatown Complex when he stopped to take photos of zodiac predictions displayed around the base of a God of Fortune statue. While focusing on his phone, he did not realise there was a step behind him and almost lost his footing.
Although Huang was not injured, he said he later witnessed another visitor twist their ankle after overlooking the same step. By speaking to the media, Huang hoped that those managing the area would take steps to prevent similar incidents from happening again.
Zodiac Predictions Placed Below Eye Level
When Shin Min Daily News reporters arrived at Chinatown Complex around 3 pm on January 6, they observed strong public interest in the display. Within 10 minutes, more than 10 people had gathered around the zodiac predictions.
The predictions were posted around the pedestal of a God of Fortune statue, which was positioned slightly above ground level. A step was built behind the statue, while a wheelchair ramp was located in front of and to the right of it. As the zodiac predictions were placed below eye level, many visitors had to squat or bend near the step or ramp to read the content clearly, increasing the risk of missing their footing.
Hawkers Association Responds and Apologises
The vice president of the Chinatown Complex Hawkers Association, Koo Fook Tho, told Shin Min Daily News that he was aware someone had been injured near the statue. He said the statue was only erected on Jan 5 and that its decorative lights had not yet been installed at the time of the incident.
According to Koo, he was informed the next day that someone had missed a step and sprained an ankle near the display. He apologised for the incident and acknowledged that preventive measures had not been put in place early enough.
“It was our fault not to do so sooner this year,” said Koo.
Safety Measures Put in Place
Following the incident, Koo said he took action to reduce the risk of further injuries. He explained that he levelled up the step behind the statue using several foam boards he had gathered over the past few days. The foam boards were secured together with yellow tape to make the step more visible and safer.
In addition, a warning cone was placed on the wheelchair ramp to alert members of the public to the change in ground level near the statue.
