Kaohsiung cinema escape door found operable after lock concerns

A Kaohsiung cinema’s first-floor exit door could be opened normally and did not obstruct escape, the city’s Public Works Bureau said after inspecting the site.

The inspection followed social media posts claiming that the door had been locked during the evacuation of what appeared to be a fire emergency. Officials said the door was not a fire door and tested it themselves. From the inside, people could open it toward the outside without using a key, access card or any other special method.

The bureau reminded the cinema and its management that public-place exits and evacuation routes must remain clear. It also ordered the cinema to strengthen staff training on emergency response, evacuation guidance and fire reporting to prevent confusion or delays during an incident.