A shopper at Orlando's Mall at Millenia was injured Saturday after a large holiday decoration fell from the ceiling and struck them, sending shoppers into a panic and prompting the mall to close off the area for review. Witnesses described hearing a loud bang followed by chaos, with the injured guest treated on the ground before being rushed to a hospital.
Shopper Brittany Pinero said she heard the loud bang followed by commotion among nearby shoppers, and she recorded video showing the aftermath, according to WKMG ClickOrlando. She described the fallen item as a massive metal star, and her footage showed the injured person lying on the ground as paramedics responded. Pinero said the person appeared possibly unconscious and not moving, and she called the scene very traumatic.
Security personnel and first responders rushed to assist the injured guest, who was then transported to a hospital. Separately, fox35orlando.com reported that mall security and first responders treated the injured person before they were taken to a nearby hospital, and that the Orlando Fire Department said the patient was transported as a trauma alert.
Mall Shuts Down Area, Launches Review
In a statement, the mall confirmed that a holiday decoration fell inside the property and injured a guest, and said the area was closed while a thorough review is conducted. Mall officials identified the safety of guests, retailers and employees as their highest priority. Officials have not released additional details about the injured guest's condition, and fox35orlando.com reported that the identity and condition of the injured person had not been made public.
There is also a discrepancy in early reporting about law enforcement involvement. The same outlet reported that the incident was turned over to the Orlando Police Department, while noting that police had not responded to its inquiry as of publication. Neither the identity of the injured shopper nor the specifics of what caused the decoration to fall have been confirmed.
Witness Calls For Decorations To Come Down
Pinero raised concerns about the safety of decorations suspended above shoppers, saying people do not expect something hanging from the ceiling to hit them. She said shoppers should be able to feel safe while browsing a mall, and she urged management to take down decorations hanging overhead. Pinero added that she hopes the mall will reconsider overhead decorations going forward, and said she hopes the injured shopper makes a full recovery.
A Familiar Scene From Another Mall
The incident echoes a similar scare at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia in December 2023, when a hanging Christmas-tree decoration fell and struck shopper Julius Lee on the head while he photographed his family, according to therakyatpost.com. Lee suffered head swelling and was escorted to a clinic by mall management, which later said he sustained only a minor graze. That mall ultimately removed its Christmas tree decorations and conducted a thorough inspection of its remaining holiday displays to prevent a repeat incident.
Whether Mall at Millenia will take similar action remains to be seen. For now, the affected area stays closed as the review continues, with mall officials yet to disclose what caused the decoration to come loose or how the injured guest is doing.
