Malls around the country should distribute brief and illustrated manuals to all shoppers instructing them how to respond in a disciplined manner if a fire alarm goes off or an emergency occurs, a safety expert has suggested.

At least one shopping centre in Doha has started distributing a handy manual, indicating emergency exits in the facility and the ways leading to them.

Major shopping malls in Doha receive a large influx of people on weekends, making the places overcrowded and raising safety concerns in the event of any untoward incident.

Because of the scorching summer heat and high level of humidity, many people visit malls, either for window shopping or just to walk around enjoying the crowd, instead of going to parks and other open places.

The closure of Villaggio mall in the wake of the May 28 fire that killed 19 people, 13 of them children, and City Center Doha since June 15 for enhancing its safety features, have contributed in making other shopping destinations in Doha more crowded, especially on weekends.

“We are experiencing a lucrative business and the turnout is generally very high in the afternoons,” an official from a shopping centre said. “We welcome all customers, whether they come to buy or just to walk around. We cannot turn them away and tell them it is too crowded, come at some other time. That will be silly and insulting. However, what we can do is that we guarantee a well-ventilated place with adequate safety measures and equipment at hand,” the official said.

“Security guards are usually instructed on how to conduct an evacuation in case of any emergency but customers and visitors have to be aware of what to do and how to behave calmly in such a situation. We have a duty in this regard but people also have a part to play,” said a duty supervisor at a shopping mall.

But many genuine shoppers have expressed their discomfort and worries because of the overcrowding which prolongs their trips.

“It is becoming harder to find a parking lot, especially in the afternoons, at various malls. Some people come just to spend their time in air-conditioned comfort, not necessarily for shopping,” complained a European expatriate.

Regardless of delays and extended times at stores, the overcrowding poses serious safety and hygiene concerns among shoppers, especially those with children, another expatriate said.

“The place is comfortably air-conditioned, but there are so many people in such a closed place. I wonder about the quality of indoor air in this case,” said a young mother accompanying her children at the games area of a mall.

“After the fire tragedy at Villaggio, I keep a close eye on my children as they play and never leave them alone. However, my worry is that suppose something wrong happens, the chances of a stampede and panic would be high with so many people around,” she said.

Some officials at a number of such popular destinations stressed that they had adequate safety measures and procedures in place, and that their staff were well-instructed into guiding people in case of any emergency.

A shopper felt that the PA system in malls must be able to perform as part of a communication management system when an emergency situation occurred.

City Center remains closed for 22nd day

There is no new information about the reopening of City Center Doha (CCD) which remained closed for the 22nd day yesterday. The shopping complex was closed on June 15 for sprucing up its safety features as well as carrying out some major redesigning of the floor plans on the instructions of the Directorate of the Civil Defence. The safety audit and the resultant actions were precipitated by the May 28 fire tragedy at the Villaggio Mall, which cost 19 lives, including that of 13 children.

With Villaggio and City Center Doha remaining closed, Qatar has been deprived of two of its major malls in the run-up to the summer holidays when residents go on a shopping spree. As per the revised plans for City Center Doha, it is learnt that some major modifications would be made on some of the shops located on the top level of the complex.