The Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Ministry conducted a technical evaluation of Kanjuruhan Stadium in Malang District, East Java Province, and highlighted a number of aspects related to spectator safety.
“The results of the (audit) team’s evaluation (on the stadium) highlight seven findings, three (of which) are directly related to the (Kanjuruhan stampede) incident,” PUPR Minister Basuki Hadimuljono informed here on Thursday.
The first finding is regarding the steps provided in the grandstand area, he said. In the economy class tribune, there are no stairs for spectators’ access. There is only storeyed seating for them, without a single seat in the tribune.
The second finding is related to the doors at the stadium. The doors — which are of two types: sliding doors and swinging doors — are too close to the access stairs from the grandstand area, the minister added.
“When people go down from the stairs, they go straight to the door. Thus, in a panic condition, and maybe it was dark (as the Kanjuruhan incident occurred at night), it was possible (for the people) to (accidentally) fall because the steps were steep and non-standard ones,” the minister observed.
In addition, there is no emergency exit at the stadium that can be accessed by spectators, he noted. The stadium has only a service firefightersdoor that can be used by ambulances or firefighters.
“There are six doors for ambulances or firefighters. Although the doors are big, as you can enter them with a car, however, they are not accessible for the spectators in the stands,” he explained.
Meanwhile, the other four evaluation results are related to lighting, inappropriate toilet facilities for spectators, an inadequate spectator perimeter buffer zone, as well as guardrails that supporters can easily jump over.
The evaluation was based on Government Regulation Number 16 of 2021 on buildings as well as the Regulation of the Youth and Sports Minister Number 7 of 2021 regarding infrastructure and facility standards for soccer stadiums and fields.
“In addition, it also refers to the FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) Stadium Guideline. Those are what we used to evaluate this stadium,” Hadimuljono said.
Source: Antara News