This tragedy shocked all of Poland. Five teenage girls died during a fire in an escape room in Koszalin. The incident occurred at the beginning of 2019. In the second half of November, a verdict was issued in this case. The organizer and the escape room employee were sentenced to two years in prison. Suspended for a year – mother and grandmother who helped in the business. The penalty is extremely low – say the parents of the deceased girls and announce an appeal. Have any conclusions been drawn from this tragedy over the last five years?
Escape room is a team game against time. All participants spend up to an hour and a half in one room.
– The Polish escape room industry is probably the best audited entertainment industry in the country. What's more, Polish escape rooms set trends in terms of safety and quality – says Sebastian Piepióra from the Association of Escape Room Owners, owner of an escape room in Gdańsk.
Safety rules were introduced in 2019 after a tragic fire in an escape room in Koszalin, where five teenage girls died. Julia, Karolina, Wiktoria, Małgorzata and Amelia celebrated the birthday of one of them. They were in the “Mrok” room when a fire broke out in the next room, caused by a gas heater failure. They found themselves in a trap because there was no handle on the door and the only window was boarded up and barred. The employee left and when he returned it was too late to save him. The girls died of carbon monoxide poisoning.
In the second half of November, a verdict was issued in this case. The organizer and the escape room employee were sentenced to two years in prison. The mother and grandmother who helped Miłosz S. in business were suspended for a year.
– Abnormally low penalty. I'll say it again: blatantly. Inadequate to the degree of guilt – says the representative of the teenager's parents, lawyer Grażyna Psiuch. Therefore, the parents of the deceased girls will appeal.
– I would like no parent for whom a child is the greatest value, and that was the case for us, to never have to experience what we did again – says Anna Barabas, Karolina's mother.
Inspections have started throughout Poland. “There were many irregularities”
According to the National Association of Escape Room Owners, everyone has drawn conclusions after this tragedy.
– A building, whether residential, commercial, service, entertainment or e.g. warehouse, must meet a number of safety regulations, both construction and fire safety – says Senior Brig. Karol Kierzkowski, press spokesman for the Chief Commander of the State Fire Service.
– Until 2019, there were no regulations that would regulate such a specific activity as escape rooms. What's more, it happened that the guard even refused to carry out inspections – points out Sebastian Piepióra.
After what happened, inspections of such facilities began throughout Poland. Firefighters ordered more than 60 escape rooms to be closed. Almost half did not meet the requirements and posed a potential threat to their participants.
– These irregularities were numerous, and deficiencies related to evacuation or installations were found in virtually every escape room – says Karol Kierzkowski.
What has changed?
Now, in such entertainment facilities, first of all, the evacuation route must be clearly and legibly marked.
– The owners and manager of the facility are obliged to carry out evacuation before starting operations, and also every two years – informs Karol Kierzkowski.
The rooms are monitored. The safety of the game is constantly supervised by a service employee who cannot leave his workstation as long as there is someone inside. – The cameras are there so that we can see what is happening in these rooms, how the group is doing, not only to advise them, but also to check whether everything is OK in these rooms and whether the participants are not breaking the rules – says Karolina Stawiszyńska from Tkalnia Zagadek in Łódź.
“Abrightly low penalty” in the trial regarding a fire in an escape roomJan Błaszkowski/Fakty TVN
Each participant must read the regulations before entering. Mandatory. Children enter only under adult supervision.
– A participant who feels bad or simply wants to end the game can leave the room at any time, even without informing the staff, by opening the door or pressing the handle – says Karolina Stawiszyńska.
– After changing the regulations, some rooms are permanently open. You can simply leave by pressing the handle – adds Sebastian Piepióra.
“The awareness of owners of this type of facilities has increased significantly”
In the Szczecin escape room, you have to press a button to get outside. Additionally, there is constant contact with the participants.
– There have been situations when someone was too hot, too cold or someone needed to go to the toilet immediately, there is always the possibility of calling us via walkie-talkie – says Joanna Fijałkowska from Escape Room in Szczecin.
The fire brigade checks whether owners comply with the regulations. – From time to time we have inspections to check whether we still meet the requirements we should meet – points out Joanna Fijałkowska.
– These are definitely safe places now, but this is due to the fact that the awareness of the owners of this type of facilities has increased significantly – summarizes Karol Kierzkowski.
Escape rooms are an increasingly popular form of entertainment. There are over half a thousand of them in Poland.
– The world championship in escape rooms is being organized in Poland – notes Sebastian Piepióra.
Main photo source: TVN24