Crush chaos at Ikea store opening

Forum Moderator Joined: 16 Feb 2004 Posts: 1356

Several people were hurt in the crush as thousands flocked to the midnight opening of Ikea's newest store.
The shop stayed open for just 30 minutes because of safety fears at the store in Edmonton, north London.

Five people were taken to hospital, one with chest pains, and up to 20 suffered from heat exhaustion.

Police said the stabbing of a man, in his 20s, near the store at about 0130 GMT was unrelated. He was also taken to hospital where his condition is stable.

Ikea said its flagship store, the biggest in England, had to close because of an "unforeseen volume of customers".

An Ikea spokeswoman said the company was "deeply shocked, upset and concerned" and blamed a queue "surge" for the crush.
Bargain-hunters even abandoned their cars on the A406 north circular causing "severe traffic" problems, the Met said.

Advertising announcing cut price offers over 24 hours attracted between 4,000 and 6,000 people to the store, according to the London Ambulance Service.

Eye-witness Patrick Passley told BBC News there was a lack of security and trouble flared when queue-jumpers got into the store past some customers who had been waiting outside since about 1800 GMT.

He said: "They (Ikea staff) quickly closed the doors after a lot of people got in by jumping the queue.

Damaged doors

"People became agitated and eventually they started trying to charge the doors."

Ikea said it had worked closely with the emergency services in planning for the opening but said the store would remain closed until further notice.

A spokesperson told BBC News they would not be reopening until safety issues had been considered and doors damaged in the rush repaired.

Founded in Sweden in 1943, the company has proved a hit with British homeowners since opening its first UK store in 1987.

I heard this on the radio and laughed until I started hyperventilating! Razz

Forum Moderator Joined: 16 Feb 2004 Posts: 1356

Oh yeah, the radio just said the stabbing was connected to the store opening

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

rofl

its a bit funny to say the least!

Forum Moderator Joined: 16 Feb 2004 Posts: 1356

Apparently it was the surge of the croud was similar to the Hillsborough dissaster! lol All for some cheap ass furniture and a scabby 99p hotdog! Very Happy

Mr Quoter-vator Joined: 16 Feb 2004 Posts: 7405

madness

Site Subscriber Joined: 24 Apr 2004 Posts: 318

I can believe that, I've been to the Edinburgh Ikea on a normal sunday afternoon before - and never again, I was lucky to escape with my life, people are just nuts, it's only a load of cheapass furnature!

Mr Quoter-vator Joined: 16 Feb 2004 Posts: 7405

i hate big shops like that