Escape Room Birthday Party Ends in Tragedy

Originating in Japan as a video game and soon spreading into the physical realm, escape rooms have been a longtime source of fun for family and friends alike. They incorporate mystery, adventure and wits, giving a group of people clues to find their way out of a locked room, hence the name “escape room.”

Although escape rooms do not typically pose a danger, an unusual accident recently occured in one. On Friday January 4th at 5 pm, a fire broke out in an escape room venue in Koszalin, northern Poland, around 240 miles northwest of Warsaw.

Five teenage girls who were 15 years of age were killed while a 26 year old man was hospitalized with severe burns. The blaze did not start in the escape room which the girls were in, but rather in the reception area, blocking the escape route for the five girls to exit.

The five victims were believed to be celebrating the birthday of one of the girls, while the 26 year old man could not be immediately questioned due to his hospitalization. Although the girls were not found in the same room as the blaze, officials believed their death was due to asphyxiation by the carbon monoxide caused by the fire.

The cause of the fire is still being investigated, but authorities have found multiple potential culprits thus far. According New York Times, firefighter authorities on Saturday believe  that substandard electrical wiring and negligent security procedures at the escape room may have been to blame. On the other hand, the Koszalin prosecutor found fault in the bottled gas heating system at the venue, which may have leaked and started the fire.

Poland president, Andrzej Duda, said on Twitter it was a “crushing tragedy” that five young girls had died so early in their lives, according AP News. Help has been extended to the families of the victims, including psychiatric support. Counseling support has been offered to friends and colleagues at the victim’s schools as well. The mayor of Koszalin, Piotr Jedliński, announced that Sunday would be a day of mourning in the city and locals placed flowers at the escape room venue.

This tragedy ultimately resulted in a tightening of safety measures for escape rooms in Poland. General Leszek Suski, Polish fire brigades chief commander, announced that beginning January 5th, all escape rooms, game centers and clubs will go through fire safety inspections, paying special attention to evacuation plans and escape routes. Furthermore, in escape rooms, a moderator will be hired in each room to unlock the door and let people out if needed. Although this tragedy has been devastating for many locals in Koszalin, it acted as a call to public safety in entertainment venues, hopefully preventing any further accidents for the future.

Article by MoCo Student staff writer Faith Cheung of Richard Montgomery High School