Poland's Interior Minister Joachim Brudzinski said on Sunday that Poland would impose harsh fines and sanctions on business owners whose premises do not comply with health and safety standards following the death of five teenagers in an 'escape room' fire.
Speaking at a press conference, Brudzinski urged parents to report potential safety violations at escape rooms or other children's entertainment centres.
The girls were celebrating a birthday at an escape room in the northern town of Koszalin on Friday when the fire broke out. The venue's owner was arrested on Sunday, Polish media reported.
Authorities carried out inspections of at least 178 escape room locations across Poland at the weekend and found 129 did not meet health and safety standards, said the head of state fire services Leszek Suski. Thirteen locations were ordered closed.
Speaking alongside Brudzinski, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki expressed his deepest condolences to the families of the victims.
Morawiecki said he had ordered a report on the around 1,100 escape rooms or similar locations across Poland and the government would determine if changes to safety regulations were needed.
In escape rooms, participants are locked in and race against the clock to solve puzzles and challenges to open a way out.
Autor: gf / Źródło: TVN24 News in English, Reuters
Źródło zdjęcia głównego: tvn24