KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 3 — A Korean elevator company will help with forensic investigations into the cause of the lift mishap at the Kampung Kerinchi people’s housing project (PPR) here yesterday.

Federal Territories Minister Khalid Abdul Samad said preliminary investigations conducted by the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) found that the lift had been well-maintained on a yearly basis.

"The certificate of fitness issued by DOSH is valid until January next year and theoretically the incident should not have happened because the elevator is equipped with safety features, including a braking system which should activate automatically,” he said.

"I have urged the Kuala Lumpur mayor (Datuk Nor Hisham Ahmad Dahlan) to conduct an in-depth investigation,” he told reporters when visiting the victims, adding that the lift had been in operation for 12 years and its door had been replaced several times.

Meanwhile, DOSH director-general Omar Mat Piah said the department found that the PPR elevator had not plunged down but stopped abruptly about two metres from the elevator buffer.

"He said if the lift had plunged down it would have reached the buffer.

"An inspection by DOSH found that the elevator belts were in good condition, the system was functioning well and the brakes were working,” he said.

 In the 2.30pm incident yesterday, eight individuals including a child were injured after a lift at the Kampung Kerinchi PPR flat malfunctioned before plunging down from the fifth floor. — Bernama