On 11 December, 1993, Block 1 of the Highland Towers apartments in Malaysia collapsed after ten days of rain and flooding caused a landslide.
48 people lost their lives, but it is said not all rest in peace, as their spirits have been seen about the ruins in the jungle that now reclaims the land.
48 people lost their lives, but it is said not all rest in peace, as their spirits have been seen about the ruins in the jungle that now reclaims the land.
An All Too Common Creepy Occurance
Nature always takes it back. A taxi driver, in 1994, picks up a young woman, standing at the side of the road in the pouring rain. She flags him down, and is lucky to have been seen, as the sheets of water wash over the taxis windscreen, the wipers unable to keep up.
She opens the door and takes a seat in the back. As the taxi pulls back onto the road, the driver looks over his shoulder and asks "Where would you like to go?"
"Hillview" the young woman replies.
Right away the driver feels an unnatural chill at the sound of the name, but he ignores it, happy for a decent fair on this otherwise slow night.
As they drive, the driver tries to engage the woman in small talk, but the responses, if any, are brief. She seemed to be preoccupied, even a little worried.
They continue the drive into the night, the only sounds being the muffled hum of the taxis motor, and the squeaking of the windscreen wipers losing battle with the elements.
On arrival at Hillview, the lady motions for the taxi to pull to the side of the road. The driver realises where they are – The recently abandoned Highland Towers – abandoned due to one of the towers having collapsed the previous year, the remaining towers now empty due to the danger of another collapse.
She opens the door and takes a seat in the back. As the taxi pulls back onto the road, the driver looks over his shoulder and asks "Where would you like to go?"
"Hillview" the young woman replies.
Right away the driver feels an unnatural chill at the sound of the name, but he ignores it, happy for a decent fair on this otherwise slow night.
As they drive, the driver tries to engage the woman in small talk, but the responses, if any, are brief. She seemed to be preoccupied, even a little worried.
They continue the drive into the night, the only sounds being the muffled hum of the taxis motor, and the squeaking of the windscreen wipers losing battle with the elements.
On arrival at Hillview, the lady motions for the taxi to pull to the side of the road. The driver realises where they are – The recently abandoned Highland Towers – abandoned due to one of the towers having collapsed the previous year, the remaining towers now empty due to the danger of another collapse.
Creepy photo taken at the towers. "Why would you want to come to such a place in the middle of the night, in weather like this?" he asks her.
The woman turns to him, "I left several of my belongings here, belongings that are important to me".
The atmosphere in the taxi immediately changes, a feeling of dread falls over the driver. The woman starts to get out, wind and rain instantly blowing into the cab. The taxi driver is overcome with curiosity; he has to know what could be so important for his fare to be here.
"What, what is so important to you that can not wait until tomorrow?"
"My body and my life, I died here last year."
And so goes one of the legends of the hauntings of the Highland Towers, Selangor, Malaysia. The story comes in several varieties, but generally falls along the same lines, but with a different ending. "My arms and my legs" are another answer that is given, when the taxi driver asks his final question. At other times, the woman pays for her fare in bloody 'Hell notes'.
Although it does not take a major event/tragedy for such stories and legends to surface, in this case, the background is the collapse of a high rise apartment block, that saw the loss of 48 lives.
The woman turns to him, "I left several of my belongings here, belongings that are important to me".
The atmosphere in the taxi immediately changes, a feeling of dread falls over the driver. The woman starts to get out, wind and rain instantly blowing into the cab. The taxi driver is overcome with curiosity; he has to know what could be so important for his fare to be here.
"What, what is so important to you that can not wait until tomorrow?"
"My body and my life, I died here last year."
And so goes one of the legends of the hauntings of the Highland Towers, Selangor, Malaysia. The story comes in several varieties, but generally falls along the same lines, but with a different ending. "My arms and my legs" are another answer that is given, when the taxi driver asks his final question. At other times, the woman pays for her fare in bloody 'Hell notes'.
Although it does not take a major event/tragedy for such stories and legends to surface, in this case, the background is the collapse of a high rise apartment block, that saw the loss of 48 lives.
The Tower Collapses
The Highland Towers. Built in the late 1970's to the early 1980's, the three 12 storey blocks that made up the Highland Towers were constructed as homes to the Malaysian middle class, and a large number of foreign expatriates.
The blocks were built quite close to one another, at the base of a steeply terraced hill. This location, as well as nearby construction and bad weather, saw a major tragedy unfold.
A creek flowed through the land where the towers were built. This creek was diverted with a series of pipes, to bypass the site. After the towers were built, another project began, and in 1991 the new development commenced construction on the hill behind the towers.
The blocks were built quite close to one another, at the base of a steeply terraced hill. This location, as well as nearby construction and bad weather, saw a major tragedy unfold.
A creek flowed through the land where the towers were built. This creek was diverted with a series of pipes, to bypass the site. After the towers were built, another project began, and in 1991 the new development commenced construction on the hill behind the towers.
Block one collapsed. For this development, the hillsides trees and plants were removed, exposing all the surface soil to the elements. Retaining walls were built to hold the soil in place, but unfortunately, due to problems with the pipes diverting water past the buildings, and monsoon weather, the soil became saturated.
By late 1992, water was seen to freely run down the slopes, the land holding more water than it could absorb, and the nearby roads started to split.
At 1.35pm, December 11, 1993, after 10 continuous days of rain and flooding, the soil behind Block 1 of the Highland Towers gave way. The landslide demolished the retaining walls and smashed into the base of the tower, causing it to slide forward on its foundations, before toppling.
By late 1992, water was seen to freely run down the slopes, the land holding more water than it could absorb, and the nearby roads started to split.
At 1.35pm, December 11, 1993, after 10 continuous days of rain and flooding, the soil behind Block 1 of the Highland Towers gave way. The landslide demolished the retaining walls and smashed into the base of the tower, causing it to slide forward on its foundations, before toppling.
Rescue workers on scene. All twelve stories of the block collapsed on its side, breaking into sections. Immediately military and rescue teams were deployed to the site, in order to carry out rescue and recovery of those who were inside the building at the time of the collapse.
There were hundreds of rescue workers at the scene by nightfall, and for 11 days the search continued, before finally being called off on December 22nd. The final death toll was 48, though some sources put this number as high as 53. It is very fortunate that the collapse occurred at the time that it did, for if it had happened during the night, it is believed the death tally may have been tripled.
There were hundreds of rescue workers at the scene by nightfall, and for 11 days the search continued, before finally being called off on December 22nd. The final death toll was 48, though some sources put this number as high as 53. It is very fortunate that the collapse occurred at the time that it did, for if it had happened during the night, it is believed the death tally may have been tripled.
Post Collapse
Now a place for unsavory types. Soon after it collapsed, the remaining towers were abandoned, the entire site proving to be unstable. Several other collapses due to landslides during torrential weather have occurred on the hill since the towers collapse.
The remaining towers still stand, chocked by the encroaching jungle, as nature reclaims its land.
Even with the almost frequent collapsing of bungalows on the hillside, many people still call Hillview home. Many residents in the area claim that the ghosts of those who died in the Highland collapse can be seen amongst the trees of the buildings former site. It is a location for risk takers, and the setting for many dares amongst the youths in the area.
However, it seems it is the taxi drivers who have the creepiest stories to tell.
The remaining towers still stand, chocked by the encroaching jungle, as nature reclaims its land.
Even with the almost frequent collapsing of bungalows on the hillside, many people still call Hillview home. Many residents in the area claim that the ghosts of those who died in the Highland collapse can be seen amongst the trees of the buildings former site. It is a location for risk takers, and the setting for many dares amongst the youths in the area.
However, it seems it is the taxi drivers who have the creepiest stories to tell.
Ashley Hall 2013
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