2 girls seriously injured by falling bookshelves at Sapporo store

Wednesday 14th October, 06:28 AM JST

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bgaudry at 08:56 AM JST - 14th October

Accident, probably the kids climbing about. Never heard of kids being injured by a DS or Wii-- books are dangerous. Keep them away from your kids!!
Speed at 08:58 AM JST - 14th October

Unless a bit more information as to why the shelves toppled over, saying that it was because of the "dumb kids" is pre-mature and unfair, especially to the girl who may die because of this. It can just as easily be that the used book store has old bookshelves that have deteriorated.
Yelnats at 09:21 AM JST - 14th October

This is earthquake country. Why weren't the shelves secure? Everything in my condo is.
kokorocloud at 09:34 AM JST - 14th October

Poor little girls... I hope the other wakes up and is okay.
timeon at 10:05 AM JST - 14th October

there is a law requiring that all big shelves etc. should be secure, at least in science labs. and we are checked twice a year if these security measures are enforced.
bdiego at 10:09 AM JST - 14th October

Exactly, earthquakes happen every week and bookshelves should not topple over like that. Things like this happen every week at a random Home Depot.
timorborder at 10:20 AM JST - 14th October

This actually worries me. There a some of these discount stores that seem to both have too much shelving and overstocked shelves (I could mention the name but I think everybody knows who they are).

Anyway, in the case of earthquake or fire (which has happened in the past), such stores would become death traps due to falling shelves and toxic fumes.
dasyhard at 10:50 AM JST - 14th October

Standby for a law suit or is there such a thing in this half-a__ lawless country. This store should have taken precautions of safety hazards or did know about it and failed to take corrective actions.
Disillusioned at 12:18 PM JST - 14th October

Too many times I've seen accidents waiting to happen in stores in Japan. I would hate to be in a Donkey-Houtai store in an earthquake or fire. I guess 'duty of care' and 'failing to provide a safe work environment' are not part of Japanese labor laws. Actually, are there any labor laws besides, you must go to work?
jason6 at 01:43 PM JST - 14th October

the Kobe Donkihote store is a fire-deathtrap waiting to happen. narrow, aisles, demo electronic products plugged in everywhere, maze-like, indirect stairs.. come to think about it, i think i won't go back inside there (or at least stay near the first floors)!
Investigator at 02:27 PM JST - 14th October

10 and 14 year old girls generally don't climb bookshelves for kicks. 10 year old boys, though, maybe.

My bet would be the ten year old climbed the shelf, not to horse around, but to fetch a book just out of her reach.
Mittsu at 03:05 PM JST - 14th October

tragedy. and in such a careful country too.
helloklitty at 09:24 PM JST - 14th October

10 and 14 year old girls generally don't climb bookshelves for kicks.

There's no accounting for idiocy.
knowitall at 10:53 PM JST - 14th October

For all of you who are blaming the kids, news sources say that the kids were three isles away from the first shelf to fall over. The shelves fell like dominos, with the third shelf to fall landing on the girls.

Shelf falling experts, please explain how they knocked over the shelf three isles down so it would cause the one near them to fall on them. I am really interested in the physics involved.
Icewind007 at 05:06 AM JST - 15th October

Sucks to have a shelf suddenly fall on you... I wonder if the worker was also caught in the fall or did he get hurt from helping.