Ceiling collapses at KL Hilton lobby during maintenance; 1 worker injured

KUALA LUMPUR - A large section of plaster ceiling in the Hilton hotel in Kuala Lumpur collapsed during routine maintenance early on Sunday (Oct 14), injuring a Bangladeshi worker.

The Fire and Rescue Department said an emergency call was made at 3.40am, after about 140sqm of the ceiling fell 12m to the lobby floor.

A Bangladeshi fell 12m and suffered head injuries, the department said.

The 25-year-old man is being treated at the nearby Universiti Malaya Medical Centre.

Contacted by The Straits Times, the hotel - located at transport and business hub KL Sentral - confirmed that parts of the lobby and a cafe were currently off limits, but other business was proceeding as usual.

"The area will be temporarily closed to the public. During this time ORO Cafe, Chambers Bar and the Lobby Lounge will not be in operation until further notice," a spokesman said in a statement.

The statement added that "during overnight routine maintenance work on the lobby ceiling by an approved maintenance contractor, an incident occurred causing a part of the ceiling to give way".

The affected area was closed off with white sheets, with The Star reporting loud sounds of construction work coming from behind the temporary partition.

Police have opened an inquiry after a supervisor from the company doing the repair and wiring works lodged a report.

"During the incident, the victim was working alone and there were no members of the public in the area. Some furnishings and equipment in the hotel lobby were damaged. Currently, investigations have not found any suspicious elements," Brickfields district police chief Ruslan Khalid said in a statement.

Twenty-six firemen from the Kuala Lumpur contingent were involved in the rescue and subsequent checks on the hotel to ensure the safety of the area.

In December 2015, the ceiling of the driveway at the Hilton Singapore fell on two vehicles. Four people, including a passerby and a Hilton employee, were injured in the incident.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.