|
SINGAPORE - A reader was part of a frustrated crowd trying to exit the Formula One (F1) venue yesterday night.
In an email to citizen journalism website Stomp, "Michikawa" said that desperate people were trampling through plants and climbing over railing in an attempt to leave the place.
The netizen said that at around 12.20am, after Maroon 5 had ended their performance at the Padang Stage, thousands of people were attempting to exit the venue.
He describes the situation in his email:
"There are only two direct exits from the area via gates 4 and 5. Gate 5 (located near Empress Place) requires people to pass through a narrow underpass under the Fullerton Road bridge - the cause of this severe crowd bottleneck.
"People who tried to cross the Fullerton Road bridge as an alternative route were at first turned back by security personnel who said there was not exit that way. There were no crowd marshals to direct people or convey information on the cause of the jam, especially to the crowd building up rapidly at the back.
"Some rowdy foreigners demanded to be let through, and even climbed over the barriers. The situation was dire as it was apparent that everyone would be stuck for at least half an hour, waiting for their turn to be herded through the tunnel. People were desperate to get out.
"Finally, the walkway was opened on the bridge. Seeing this, people started surging towards that, even climbing up the slope, ploughing through vegetation and over the railings to get up to the bridge.
"Even after the walkway was opened, security personnel were still telling people heading that way that there was no exit. From the walkway, people could head to the main road from One Fullerton."
Michikawa added that the same scenario had played out the night before, after the Jay Chou performance. At Gate 4 (located at the junction of Supreme Court Lane and Coleman Street), instead of directing the crowds to the exit or ensuring that there was order, "a line of F1 volunteers were shouting out good-byes to the crowd".
"This was unnecessary as all everyone wanted was some clue as to what was happening. The exit points are absolutely ridiculous, and safety was compromised in such vulnerable situations in enclosed spaces with huge crowds," he said.
"Despite the high number of attendees for this year's F1, there has been no increase in the number of entry/exit points, or widening them to cater for this spike. The organisers would have known about the increase in attendees due to ticket sales.
"It is indeed a disappointing end to any event."
F1 crowd ploughs through plants and climbs railings to exit venue
Click on thumbnail to view. (Photos: Stomp) |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Singapore prepares for F1's toughest race this year
Click on thumbnail to view. (Photos: ST, Singapore GP, Pirelli Tyres Singapore) |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
dassa@sph.com.sg
 
| 
