Authorities are investigating security weaknesses at the Lotus Tower after an International school student committed suicide by jumping from its observation deck last Monday.
According to a report in the Silumina Weekend Newspaper, investigations revealed that the student remained on the observation floor for about 20 minutes from the time she entered the tower until she jumped. The entire sequence was captured on the tower’s CCTV cameras.
The girl entered the premises in her school uniform but later changed into casual clothes. She had hidden it in her school bag. Footage shows her heading directly to the part of the 29th-floor observation deck where her friend had previously died. From there, she stared at the Altair apartment complex, which is visible from the tower, for about two minutes.
Afterward, she walked around the platform twice before sitting down in deep thought. Her first attempt to jump failed, as she couldn’t climb the high wall surrounding the viewing platform. After a moment, she tried again but was prevented by a safety wire above the ledge. Eventually, she removed her shoes, which allowed her to climb the barrier and jump off the tower.
All of these moments were recorded on CCTV. Investigators believe that if the surveillance footage had been monitored continuously, the tragedy might have been prevented.
The management of the Colombo Lotus Tower stated that five security personnel were assigned to the observation platform. However, police reviewing the footage noted that more attention should have been paid to the safety of the platform, which is visited by thousands of people daily.
The company expressed its sorrow over the incident and stated that despite their efforts, the incident happened within seconds, making it difficult to intervene in time. They also announced plans to upgrade security with modern technology to prevent similar incidents in the future.
