The Lagos state government has sealed off popular Lagos mall, Purple Mall, over the tragic incident that occured in the mall last Thursday, June 26.
According to the bereaved mother of the deceased, Kylie, her son, Obinna, uses a gym facility in the mall. On the said day, Obinna who was her only child, arrived at the mall and was instructed to park his car on the 5th floor of the parking lot.
‘’There were no instructions or safety signs to say this is exit and this is entrance. My son entered through the exit. It is a multi level car park. My family and the police have seen the CCTV. He was driving very slow, he was not speeding. Obviously, when you are driving in a multi-level car park, you do not speed. You are looking for parking space as well, so he wasn’t speeding.
I don’t know what happened but the CCTV (shows) when he went to the 5th floor was when he tipped over. there was nothing after on the CCTV.’’
The distraught mum said it took 35 minutes before the mall officials were able to get her son out of the car and rushed him to the hospital where he was confirmed de@d on arrival. She said the mall authorities claimed their valet offered to help her son park his car but he refused. The distraught mum said this was a lie as her son’s friend who was driving behind him insisted that the mall authorities asked them to park their cars themselves.
Following the tragic incident at the parking lot, the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources on Wednesday, July 2, sealed the mall indefinitely while a specialized investigation team has been constituted.
In a statement personally signed by the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab on Wednesday evening, Wahab said the investigative team will determine the root cause of the parking lot failure.