Barriers failed to prevent British woman’s car from falling off Abu Dhabi carpark – UK coroner

Above, an image released by Abu Dhabi police in January 2015. (Courtesy Security Media)

Barriers installed in a multi-storey carpark in Abu Dhabi failed to prevent a British woman’s vehicle from falling 24 meters to the ground, resulting in her death, UK media reported.
The British coroner ruled that concrete and metal barriers around the edge of the carpark – which were 90 centimeters high – did not meet safety standards, and were built too close to the edge.
Linda Al-Selmie was in her BMW X6 when she accidentally reversed her car off the sixth floor of the carpark.
Al-Selmie, who grew up in Darlington in the northeast of England and later lived in Manchester before moving to Abu Dhabi with husband Wajhi Al-Selmie, died at the scene from multiple injuries.
Senior coroner Crispin Oliver at Crook in County Durham said: “The barrier at the edge of the building was 16.68cm too short and should have been 110cm further from the edge.”
A criminal investigation is now underway in the UAE top probe Al-Semie’s death.
“I have received evidence from Abu Dhabi police’s forensic evidence department, on behalf of the attorney general in respect of the barrier and a matrix report into the strength of the barrier, which I understand Mr.Wajhi Al-Selmie believes to be unsatisfactory,” Oliver was quoted by Mirror as saying.