Man Charged in Escape Room Deaths in Warsaw, Poland

Joker 2 | 2220

7 Jan 2019 / #1

My condolences to the families of the 5 children.

WARSAW, Poland (AP) - Prosecutors in northern Poland detained and brought charges Sunday against the man who designed an escape room entertainment site where five teenage girls were killed in a fire.

The man, identified only as Milosz S., was charged with intentionally creating a fire danger and unintentionally causing the deaths of the girls, said prosecutor Ryszard Gasiorowski, adding that the location's heating system was faulty and there was no emergency evacuation route.

apnews.com/12ae7ba70aa74873bea277636f26747a

Ive never been to an escape room. We have something similar in the USA called haunted houses, but they're heavily regulated and there has to be fire exits.

I find it hard to believe there were over a 1000 places like this in Poland?

Ziemowit 14 | 3936

7 Jan 2019 / #2

and there was no emergency evacuation route

This is absolute disgrace. I think the establishment should have been checked for having an emergency evacuation route before the accident and not after it.

It is a classic example of incompetence that you may encounter almost everywhere in Poland.

mafketis 38 | 10990

7 Jan 2019 / #3

the establishment should have been checked for having an emergency evacuation route

A lot of the stories don't make sense.... I've purposefully neglected it a little bit (since it's so awful to think about) But... one story referred to the room as a 'labirynt' (maze) but another said it was only something like 7 square meters, which... how could so many people fit inside it at all?

Of course any such place should have clearly marked exits (and/or prominent 'end game' buttons).

CharlesFinley

8 Jan 2019 / #4

Ive never been to an escape room. We have something similar in the USA called haunted houses

Lol...what? We have something similar in the USA... They are called escape rooms

OP Joker 2 | 2220

8 Jan 2019 / #5

I think the establishment should have been checked for having an emergency evacuation route before the accident and not after it.

Dont they have any zoning or building code enforcement officers in Poland? You need a license to open and operate a legal business in the US.

It seems like any person can just open up one of these death traps wherever they want too.

They are called escape rooms

Ive heard about them, but they are not popular here and ppl say they suck as well..Lol

MoOli 9 | 479

8 Jan 2019 / #6

They do have all the laws etc in place but corruption is still there,if that explains it.I see so many bistros,clubs,restaurants etc with code and health violation (even though im no health or code inspector qualified) that I would shut them down.In Poland money and influence still talks.

I tell you there is that famous club named Hybrydy(wrong spellings) and has serious exit problems from the basement incase of emergency.A disaster waiting to happen.

Braveheart16 19 | 142

8 Jan 2019 / #7

This is of course a complete tragedy for the families involved.....and must be terrible for them to comprehend the events....

It does seem to be a situation as other posts have mentioned that there were little or no regulation checks made.....so first of all there should always be health and safety inspections made for this type of business or for example food outlets. If checks were made then clearly the person/team responsible haven't been thorough enough. Consistent regulation is really the key here and whoever is responsible for public safety should really step up their game and as a priority ensure that businesses like this are consistently regulatedto prevent this tragedy from happening again. (I suspect that it will happen again, maybe not with an 'escape room' but probably with a club, disco, etc)

Like the terrible standard of driving on the roads or people burning plastic there appears to be little or no regulation and there is no excuse for non regulation. (I've never seen police target and stop a driver for driving dangerously close to the back of another car/lorry as frequently happens....perhaps they have but perhaps not often enough because bad driving still continues...perhaps it will take more deaths on the roads for someone to do something)

Whichever government department is responsible for overseeing health and safety inspections really need to improve their game.....training perhaps...looking at other countries to see how they do it....greater accountability....etc. I know that someone has been arrested and not sure what the current situation is.....nevertheless people should really turn their attention and focus on the people who are paid and responsible for health and safety inspections...these people are the ones who should be in the spotlight...lots of news stories about the man arrested but nothing on the health and safety inspectors....perhaps this will happen soon......take accountability if you can...!!

Gezza 2 | 15

10 Jan 2019 / #8

Merged:

Escape Room Tragedy

Frankly, I only learned about this being practiced for entertainment through this event. Does anyone know where the idea came from? And I wonder how many other "imports" fraught with risk to life have been let loose in Poland, without any thought given to proper licencing, regulations, or enforcing security standards. When it comes to wrecking lives and fortunes, the consumers in Poland dont seem to have much defence in their own law. I visualize our lawyers as standing next to EU behind, cap in hand , waiting for new laws like truffles to drop in, to translate to Polish language. Environment, vaccine quality control, toxic waste, engine emissions.. the lot! Unless EU wipes our bottom it stays dirty. What a shame that me, a consumer has to wait for EU to pass laws to prorect me because my own country's law lords are either totally inept or too busy organizing their wealth, careers, English lessons, foreign holiday exploits, or tv appearances.