2 tourists hurt after beam collapses at Penang shophouse

Two Sri Lankan tourists were injured after parts of a heritage shophouse collapsed in George Town, Penang.

The incident occurred on Monday (Aug 3) at around 1pm along Lebuh Armenian, where stones and timber from a first-floor beam of the heritage shophouse fell upon them, reported the New Straits Times (NST) on Wednesday.

The victims, identified as 66-year-old Mohamad Ammtar and 55-year-old Fatimah, received initial treatment at the scene before being taken to Penang Hospital for further treatment.

They were walking along the tourist hotspot in the George Town Unesco World Heritage Site when the incident occurred, The Star reported.

Both sustained head injuries.

@asiaone This is the second incident involving falling debris from an old building in George Town in just days. #malaysianews #malaysia #heritage #tourism ♬ original sound - AsiaOne

Initial inspections by the Penang authorities in the aftermath of the collapse found that a termite-damaged wooden beam had caused the incident.

Penang's Local Government and Town and Country Planning Committee chairman H'ng Mooi Lye said the state government would direct the Heritage Department to assess the structural safety of its heritage buildings, local news media reported.

H'ng stressed that preserving Penang's heritage should not come at the expense of public safety.

"For heritage buildings, renovations must retain the original facade. Sometimes the original materials, such as wood, may no longer be suitable," NST quoted him as saying.

He added that alternative materials could be considered, provided the buildings' original appearance is preserved.

State Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai, who visited the scene, said the incident highlighted the need to pay greater attention to the structural safety of old and heritage buildings to prevent similar accidents, reported The Star.

He said his office had contacted the Sri Lankan High Commission to render assistance to the injured tourists, who were due to return home the next day.

It was the second incident involving falling debris from an old building in George Town in just days. 

On Saturday, part of the roof of another heritage building along Jalan Green Hall collapsed onto the road, crushing a parked car while its owner was away.

Lebuh Armenian is one of George Town's oldest and busiest streets.

It is well known for its rows of heritage shophouses and popular attractions, including Lithuanian artist Ernest Zacharevic's Children on a Bicycle mural, one of Penang's most recognisable street artworks.

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helmy.saat@asiaone.com