Malls are very popular in Manila, in large part because they serve as a respite for those who want to get away from the city’s pollution, unsafe streets, and unpredictable weather. So shoppers in a posh mall in Mandaluyong City were shocked when they saw one of the establishment’s escalators partly collapse yesterday.
Photos of the damaged The Podium mall in the Ortigas Center are now circulating online, showing how pieces of the fifth-floor escalator dropped all the way down to the ground floor. Water was also seen leaking from the ceiling and creating puddles on the mall’s floor.
Much of the rubble landed on the Nespresso booth in the lobby, as seen in photos acquired by ABS-CBN News from netizen Zachary Lee. It also looked like there was a waterfall in the middle of the building with the non-stop rain falling down.
LOOK: Portion of The Podium’s escalator fell on a booth. Damage allegedly due to a leak. Netizen who provided the photo said no one was hurt in the incident. (📷 from Zachary Lee) pic.twitter.com/lnzeLPOHrf
— Kat Domingo (@_katrinadomingo) May 8, 2019
In a statement posted yesterday, The Podium’s management said that the damage was caused by yesterday’s strong rains.
“To ensure the safety of our customers, the area has been temporarily cordoned off. Repair and maintenance works will commence once the weather improves,” the statement reads.
There are currently no reports of the incident causing any injuries.
May is usually when the Philippines transitions from the dry to the rainy season. Yesterday, parts of Metro Manila were flooded due to the heavy downpour.
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