A tragic accident occurred at approximately 1 PM local time on Tuesday in Pontianak, West Kalimantan, resulting in the death of a young woman at a local gym.
Shocking footage captured the moment when the victim, while running on a treadmill, stopped to wipe her face with a towel and quickly lost her balance. As the treadmill continued to operate at high speed, the woman tripped backward and tumbled out of an open window.
The victim, who remains unnamed, had come to the gym with her boyfriend, who was exercising on the second floor when the incident happened. According to local media reports, the woman had been using the treadmill for 30 minutes before the devastating fall.
She was rushed to the hospital with severe head injuries but was later pronounced dead due to a brain bleed. An autopsy revealed extensive bruising and lacerations on her head.
Following the incident, the gym closed for three days. Authorities are investigating the gym’s management for alleged negligence. Pontianak Police Commissioner Antonius Trias Kuncurojati noted that the distance between the treadmill and the window was only 60 cm, and the gap from the bottom of the window to the floor was merely 30 cm.
“It’s very easy for someone to fall off the treadmill and then fall down,” Commissioner Antonius stated.
Police will also question witnesses and individuals suspected of leaving the windows open. Commissioner Antonius added that while windows might be left open for cleaning purposes, there were no warning signs displayed, and stickers advising visitors not to open the windows were damaged.
During the investigation, the gym owner explained that the treadmill was positioned with its back facing the window to avoid obstructing the view for other gym-goers. Authorities have stated that the gym’s operating permit will be re-examined. They also highlighted that the window glass was only a few millimeters thick, which is inadequate for a high-rise building.
In a related incident last year, a bodybuilder in Sanur, Bali, died after a 460-pound weight fell on his neck while attempting a squat press. The victim, Justyn, was rushed to a local hospital with a broken neck and critical compression of vital nerves connected to his heart and lungs. He died shortly after an emergency operation, despite surgeons’ best efforts.
Additionally, another gym-goer was left paralyzed and temporarily blinded when a weights machine broke mid-set, crushing Abraão Viana’s head between the metal handles during his exercise routine.
These incidents underscore the importance of stringent safety measures in gyms to prevent such tragic accidents.