DUBAI // A father who watched in horror as his four-year-old son plunged 5.5 metres down an open manhole at Dubai Mall is demanding swift changes to the mall's health and safety regulations to ensure it never happens again.
Shahid Mahmood, a British father of three, was watching a small fountain display on Saturday with his daughter Khadija, six, and Zayn, four, when Zayn fell down the concrete shaft.
The youngster was lucky, receiving only minor injuries - facial bruising and a cut finger - after a ladder broke his fall.
Mr Mahmood believes the manhole cover was removed during the display by a worker who was preparing to carry out routine maintenance on the water feature.
"I turned to see this huge hole behind my son," he said. "I went towards him to get hold of him but he had already stepped back."
The worker was inside the hole getting safety barriers to place around it when the accident happened.
Mr Mahmood wants the mall to exercise tighter control over the safety measures applied by all sub-contractors working on the site.
A statement issued on behalf of the mall said its management team was in regular contact with the family and was running its own investigation into the incident.
Mr Mahmood said an offer by Dubai Mall to pay Zayn's medical expenses was unnecessary.
Describing the moment he saw Zayn fall "like a rag doll" down the hole, he said: "Everything went into slow motion. It was surreal. Your son's fallen down a hole that wasn't there a minute ago."
Luckily a ladder leading to the bottom of the concrete cavern broke the toddler's fall.
"It was fortuitous we were standing that side. If he had fallen from any of the other three sides of the manhole he would have been dead, I'm sure," said Mr Mahmood, 36.
Relieved to hear Zayn scream, he climbed halfway down the manhole while calling out to his wife, Shahnaz - who was sitting just inside the mall entrance with their one-year-old child, Summayyal - and trying to ensure that his daughter Khadija was safe.
"While all this was going on, the worker who was down below proceeded to pick up my son and bring him to the surface," he said. "I could see he was supporting his neck and he seemed OK. He was crying and there was lots of blood."
In the 30 minutes Mr Mahmood said it took for the ambulance to arrive at the scene - apparently it had difficulty reaching the accident spot because of height restrictions - numerous staff from Dubai Mall arrived but no one, he said, appeared to be trained in first aid.
"Once the paramedics arrived they completely took control, putting the neck brace on, asking if he had been vomiting, asking if he felt dizzy, if he was steady on his feet, asking all the right questions."
Zayn was strapped on to a stretcher, given oxygen, attached to heart and blood pressure monitors and taken at the family's request to the American Hospital, where he underwent tests for internal bleeding, brain and spinal injuries.
At 6pm he was given the all-clear and discharged.
Dubai Police are investigating the incident, alongside a health and safety specialist from Dubai Municipality.
Mr Mahmood said he did not want to see the worker lose his job.
"He was just as shocked as anyone and I know he had a part to play within it but I don't see how, in all of this, he could have done anything differently," he said.
"I had to file a case or it would happen to someone else. I asked that the worker is not made a scapegoat, that he retains his job."
Mr Mahmood says he is not interested in compensation. He simply wants assurances that safety regulations will be significantly tightened, also expressing concern about the lack of first-aid knowledge displayed by mall staff and the difficulties the ambulance faced in reaching them. He wants any "damages" that may be deemed appropriate to be donated to a children's charity.
"I feel my son's life has been saved and if someone else's son or daughter's life could be saved then that's the best that I can ask," he said.
A senior member of the worker's sub-contracting firm, which is responsible for maintaining the fountain, arrived at the hospital with his wife to check on Zayn's condition, but no one at the company was available to comment.
loatway@thenational.ae
Secret Nation: The Hidden Armenians of Turkey
Avedis Hadjian, (IB Tauris)
HERO%20CUP%20TEAMS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%3Cins%3EContinental%20Europe%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fins%3E%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrancesco%20Molinari%20(c)%3Cbr%3EThomas%20Detry%3Cbr%3ERasmus%20Hojgaard%3Cbr%3EAdrian%20Meronk%3Cbr%3EGuido%20Migliozzi%3Cbr%3EAlex%20Noren%3Cbr%3EVictor%20Perez%3Cbr%3EThomas%20Pieters%3Cbr%3ESepp%20Straka%3Cbr%3EPlayer%20TBC%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%3Cins%3EGreat%20Britain%20%26amp%3B%20Ireland%3C%2Fins%3E%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3ETommy%20Fleetwood%20(c)%3Cbr%3EEwen%20Ferguson%3Cbr%3ETyrrell%20Hatton%3Cbr%3EShane%20Lowry%3Cbr%3ERobert%20MacIntyre%3Cbr%3ESeamus%20Power%3Cbr%3ECallum%20Shinkwin%3Cbr%3EJordan%20Smith%3Cbr%3EMatt%20Wallace%3Cbr%3EPlayer%20TBC%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Scoreline
Abu Dhabi Harlequins 17
Jebel Ali Dragons 20
Harlequins Tries: Kinivilliame, Stevenson; Cons: Stevenson 2; Pen: Stevenson
Dragons Tries: Naisau, Fourie; Cons: Love 2; Pens: Love 2
Guide to intelligent investing
Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
- Stay invested: Time in the market, not timing the market, is critical to long-term gains.
- Rational thinking: Breathe and avoid emotional decision-making; let logic and planning guide your actions.
- Strategic patience: Understand why you’re investing and allow time for your strategies to unfold.
The specs
Common to all models unless otherwise stated
Engine: 4-cylinder 2-litre T-GDi
0-100kph: 5.3 seconds (Elantra); 5.5 seconds (Kona); 6.1 seconds (Veloster)
Power: 276hp
Torque: 392Nm
Transmission: 6-Speed Manual/ 8-Speed Dual Clutch FWD
Price: TBC
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
South Africa World Cup squad
South Africa: Faf du Plessis (c), Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock (w), JP Duminy, Imran Tahir, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Dale Steyn, Rassie van der Dussen.
Profile
Company: Libra Project
Based: Masdar City, ADGM, London and Delaware
Launch year: 2017
Size: A team of 12 with six employed full-time
Sector: Renewable energy
Funding: $500,000 in Series A funding from family and friends in 2018. A Series B round looking to raise $1.5m is now live.
Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
The%20Continental%3A%20From%20the%20World%20of%20John%20Wick%20
%3Cp%3ECreated%20by%3A%20Greg%20Coolidge%2C%20Shawn%20Simmons%2C%20Kirk%20Ward%3Cbr%3EStars%3A%20Mel%20Gibson%2C%20Colin%20Woodell%2C%20Mishel%20Prada%3Cbr%3ERating%3A%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Vidaamuyarchi
Director: Magizh Thirumeni
Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra
Rating: 4/5
Game Changer
Director: Shankar
Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram
Rating: 2/5
Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE squad
Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind
Fixtures
Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE
Black Panther
Dir: Ryan Coogler
Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o
Five stars
Results
6.30pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
Winner: Celtic Prince, David Liska (jockey), Rashed Bouresly (trainer).
7.05pm: Conditions Dh240,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Commanding, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
7.40pm: Handicap Dh190,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Grand Argentier, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
8.15pm: Handicap Dh170,000 (D) 2,200m
Winner: Arch Gold, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson.
8.50pm: The Entisar Listed Dh265,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Military Law, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi.
9.25pm: The Garhoud Sprint Listed Dh265,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Ibn Malik, Dane O’Neill, Musabah Al Muhairi.
10pm: Handicap Dh185,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Midnight Sands, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
The Limehouse Golem
Director: Juan Carlos Medina
Cast: Olivia Cooke, Bill Nighy, Douglas Booth
Three stars
RESULTS
Main card
Bantamweight 56.4kg: Mehdi Eljamari (MAR) beat Abrorbek Madiminbekov (UZB), Split points decision
Super heavyweight 94 kg: Adnan Mohammad (IRN) beat Mohammed Ajaraam (MAR), Split points decision
Lightweight 60kg: Zakaria Eljamari (UAE) beat Faridoon Alik Zai (AFG), RSC round 3
Light heavyweight 81.4kg: Taha Marrouni (MAR) beat Mahmood Amin (EGY), Unanimous points decision
Light welterweight 64.5kg: Siyovush Gulmamadov (TJK) beat Nouredine Samir (UAE), Unanimous points decision
Light heavyweight 81.4kg: Ilyass Habibali (UAE) beat Haroun Baka (ALG), KO second round
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded