Panic at two-storey building as exit doors jam

In the mist of chaos and fear brought on by the 5.6 earthquake that rocked sections of Jamaica yesterday, employees at BPO in the Constant Spring, St Andrew, area found themselves almost trapped in their work building because the exit doors were jammed and would not open.

The exit doors are designed to lead the organisation's staff directly outside the building in the case of an emergency. However, because the doors would not open, the employees had to use their key pass cards to buzz through four doors and run up and down stairs to get outside.

One employee, who was on the basement floor, told THE STAR that she was terrified when she realised she could not open the exit door. She said she tried using her body to bang against it in order to get out but the effort was futile.

Another employee told THE STAR that she has never been part of an earthquake drill at the company and has never heard of one being conducted.

An employee who was on the second floor said she is traumatised by the experience and witnessed her colleagues in chaos.

"It was really traumatising, I was on a call and felt the shake, and the first thing that came to mind was, alright, get under the desk. I saw my colleagues all over the whole place, you know everybody traumatised, some running through the door," she said.

"Team leaders were there trying to calm down everybody, but you know, not much was in the mindset to you really listen, so, you know, there was a rush at the door," she added.