Malaysia mandates safety tests after Chinese woman loses leg in ceiling collapse

Building owners across Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia have been ordered to carry out mandatory tests on the safety of their structures, after a Chinese national lost her left leg when a ceiling collapsed at her son’s restaurant in the Sabah capital.

An elderly Chinese couple were injured when part of the ceiling gave way last Friday on the ground floor of a four-storey building in the tourist-reliant town on Malaysian Borneo.

One of the victims – the mother of the restaurant operator – had her left leg crushed by the falling debris. It had to be amputated due to the extent of the injuries, local media reported.

The victim’s husband said on Tuesday that doctors were unable to save his wife’s leg and had to immediately amputate it.

“She still needs a second surgery as she had also injured her spine,” the husband told local daily The Star.

“We never expected this to happen to us. As a family, we are very grateful for people’s concern regarding the incident,” he said.

Authorities have not identified the two victims.