A Tragic Incident at Standard Chartered KL Marathon 2010
Mr Toh Yit Ming wrote on Facebook today. Feel free to share:
I would like to share a tragic incident that happened at Standard Chartered KL Marathon today.
When i was running my final 2 km on the 10km… as i was running along the road in front of Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur, i saw a guy was sitting on the road side then soon enough he collapsed. This incident attracted my attention as a guy(a training doctor, named Irkhan) that was trying to help him was shouting for medic as i was a trained EFR, i ran over to see what is happening.. (it was around 1 hour into the race for 10km runners)
I got to know that the guy (named Lim) has collapsed and was having seizure.. we tried to place him in recovery position… he was breathing very heavily and shortly and he was also biting his teeth very very hard… i was afraid that he will hurt himself (with either biting his own tongue or he closed up his airway).. so i tried to open up his jaw and tried to communicate wif him to have him relax and breath easily.. he then slowed down his breathing and taking deeper breath…
another lady (lady A) came to help and constantly monitor on his pulse… and Dr. Visva (was another participant in the run) came over to help. Then suddenly, his pulse was gone… then we lied him flat and started on CPR procedures… we constantly check on his pulse to check whether his pulse has come back.. we did chest compression and also mouth-to-mouth breathing to Lim…As we were doing the CPR procedures, we did not sight medic anywhere.. and we tried to shout as loud as possible for medic… After awhile into the CPR procedures, "lady A" said that she could feel his pulse but was very weak.. then we stopped the CPR procedures to see whether he regain consciousness or not… After i stopped the chest compression on Lim, i started shouting for medic services again with the hope that a medic services is nearby and heard us.. but unfortunately not… we only sighted 3 DBKL Officers(with big motorcycles) just stood by the road side and just stare… the did not come over to help or to check out what happened… (it was around 10 minutes that Lim collapse and had seizure)…
After a moment, Lim loose his pulse again.. we started CPR procedures again.. we still did not sight an ambulance or any EMS(Emergency Medical Services) around… after approximately 30 compression, Lim regained his pulse but was very very weak.. and yet.. there was still no ambulance or EMS sighted… and DBKL officers still stood there and did not came over to help… so I informed a passer by to run to the officers to tell them to call for an EMS soonest possible…
after we performed CPR procedures on Lim for the the third time, finally a St. John ambulance came after around 15 – 20 minutes after Lim collapsed…
we let the EMS officers to take over the CPR and First Aid… Dr. Visva asked whether do they have the AED(Automated External Defibrillator)… one of the person from the EMS said that they do not have it.. then I asked whether do they have a face mask with pump.. they also did not have it there… THEY PRACTICALLY HAVE NOTHING IN THE AMBULANCE!!!!!!!! -.-"
EMS took him and speed their way to HKL…We were later informed that the Response time for EMS is 3 minutes but it took them almost 20 minutes to arrive… and later.. as I was reading through the Runners Guide that was provided in our running kit… There is a statement (at page 15) that states that "Medical Assistance – Medical Aid is available every 4km and at the Finish Area. Due to runner’s physical condition, Medical Officials are authorized to stop runners and remove their timing chip"… Every 4KM MY ROYAL ASS.. I did not see any first aider, ambulance or any sort of medical officials along my 10km route… and if 4km was true.. it definitely will not take them SO LONG to arrive…
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I got a call from Dr. Visva a moment ago.. he went to HKL to check out the condition of Lim and he informed me that Lim have passed away on his arrival to the hospital… T__T
Lim is only into his 20′s and was running the 10KM distance…
The above is why I lose trust in the ability of our event organizers to get their act together other than just roping in volunteers & sponsors to make it look big.
so sad… running a long distance no easy meat.. thare are risk associated with it.. know our limit
5 July, 2010 at 9:42 AM
Lim Wei JI just cremation few minit ago..he leave us forever ever le…he is my childhood best fren,i cant accept it at all , thank you ur guy whose try to safe his life b4…may god bless u all..n god bless Wei Ji rest in peace….
29 June, 2010 at 12:15 PM
I heard about what happend coz my frend was passing by when it happend.. by the time i got there, everything was cleared (i guess i was too slow). Seriously i thought that it is just a normal situation during a marathon.. never thought that it could end in death.. how tragic… and the organizers. being std charted.. should have been more organized…. cant believe this is happening~ :(
28 June, 2010 at 4:55 PM
Today morning my friend just inform this tragedy, he was the one who was taking part. How ridiculous of the DBKL officer!!! Just stood at there and stared at you all, plus lake of equipment to perform first aid. A life just let them make it gone. May Mr Lim rest in peace…
28 June, 2010 at 1:48 PM
if these organisers can’t do a simple thing as keeping their promises of ensuring the safety of the runners, then they should not organise such event anymore.
28 June, 2010 at 12:28 PM
Was there at the run and it was not well organized. There was no water provided BEFORE the run. The markers for distance were only up to 5km. The water station was so crowded at the end of the race that ppl had to queue for water. How horribly exhausting it is for the runners! Didn’t see any St. John or feel much of their presence throughout the 10km run. This is so critical and so unlike other marathons I have joined before.
28 June, 2010 at 9:04 AM
Condolences to Lim’s family.
Lady A(my friend) got a called from the family about 9 , informing us that lim has passed away(Lady A actually called the emergency contact number on the race tag). We are all too shock and extremely dissapointed and angry with the organiser, EMS officer and DBKL officer. For them, perhaps they thought no one can die from running. For them, this is just somebody’s life. They have no sense of urgency. Speechless…
28 June, 2010 at 12:51 AM
I passed by when the incident happened…
The “Big Motor Guy” just stood and stare… do nothing…
WTH is happening!!!
I think party that related should look into this kind of issue…
Sad to heard that Lim can’t make it…
May him rest in peace…
27 June, 2010 at 9:54 PM
Hello,
I was at the race too and saw the scene where a man shouted at the DBKL officer, telling him to get the medical help asap while the rest were doing CPR on Lim.
I wanted to go closer to offer some help but there was a man telling us to go away. But that was the right thing to do too, as i dunno much about first aid.
So, the only thing i can offer was my prayer. I stood there and say my prayer before i continue the run.
Thanks for this post becoz i’ve asking around about his condition.
Yes, he could have been saved and this is really sad.
May u rest in peace, Lim.
27 June, 2010 at 7:52 PM
im so sad for what happened to him. he could have been saved. rest in peace dear 10km runner
27 June, 2010 at 7:32 PM
this is such a heart breaking story to be heard. i was one of the running passerby and saw that you guys were doing chest press on him.
i think Lim’s family have every right to sue the event organizers for failure to perform according to what it’s stated in the running kit.
27 June, 2010 at 7:10 PM