Tense moments prevailed at a multi-storey shopping complex in Padi after tiles cracked on Sunday evening. Shoppers panicked and rushed to safety. According to police, there was a heavy rush in the shopping complex situated on MTH Road ahead of Deepavali. At 6.15 p.m, a crackling sound was heard on the 9th floor. The shoppers, including children, panicked and ran to safety.
The staff alerted the Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services (TNFRS) control room and a fire vehicle from Ambattur was rushed to the spot. However, it was found that the dust resulting from the cracking of tiles had been mistaken for smoke. Y. Paulraj, from the Ambattur TNFRS station, said that the tiles could have cracked due to trapping of air beneath the layers.
