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04 June 2009
Hazard Warning: Abandoned Suitcase leads to Full Scale Evacuation
Shoppers and retail staff at St John’s Shopping Centre in Perth participated in an unplanned evacuation this morning, following the discovery of an unmanned suitcase found in Pounland and belonging to a Mr Hazard from Aberfeldy.
Management at the shopping centre immediately commenced emergency evacuation procedures following discovery of the suspicious article by shop staff. The evacuation affected all 200 staff that work in the shopping centre as well as in the region of 1000 shoppers who were in the building at the time.
Tayside Police arrived on the scene within minutes and the suitcase was pronounced “non-Hazardous” enabling the centre retailers to return to their units and proceed trading as normal.
Mr Hazard, returned to the shopping centre to reclaim his suitcase during the evacuation, having remembered he’d forgotten to take it with him. Once re-united with his suitcase, an embarrassed Mr Hazard apologized for the inconvenience caused.
A spokesperson for St John’s Shopping Centre said, “This is an excellent example of how good planning and communication is essential in ensuring customer safety. Management were very quick to react, both in the shop and in the centre and, although the situation turned out to be quite innocent, had it not been, potentially a major disaster could have been averted. I suspect the incident was more than a little embarrassing for Mr Hazard who may be leaving his suitcase at home in the future.”
Hazard Warning: Abandoned Suitcase leads to Full Scale Evacuation
Shoppers and retail staff at St John’s Shopping Centre in Perth participated in an unplanned evacuation this morning, following the discovery of an unmanned suitcase found in Pounland and belonging to a Mr Hazard from Aberfeldy.
Management at the shopping centre immediately commenced emergency evacuation procedures following discovery of the suspicious article by shop staff. The evacuation affected all 200 staff that work in the shopping centre as well as in the region of 1000 shoppers who were in the building at the time.
Tayside Police arrived on the scene within minutes and the suitcase was pronounced “non-Hazardous” enabling the centre retailers to return to their units and proceed trading as normal.
Mr Hazard, returned to the shopping centre to reclaim his suitcase during the evacuation, having remembered he’d forgotten to take it with him. Once re-united with his suitcase, an embarrassed Mr Hazard apologized for the inconvenience caused.
A spokesperson for St John’s Shopping Centre said, “This is an excellent example of how good planning and communication is essential in ensuring customer safety. Management were very quick to react, both in the shop and in the centre and, although the situation turned out to be quite innocent, had it not been, potentially a major disaster could have been averted. I suspect the incident was more than a little embarrassing for Mr Hazard who may be leaving his suitcase at home in the future.”
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