Has anybody ever been stuck in a lift

[Martin2013]

As lifts are a form of transport I'm hoping this is an acceptable thread.

Has anybody on here ever had an experience of getting stuck in a lift? If so what was your experience like? Who were you with, where were you and how long were you stuck before getting rescued?

 

[Bletchleyite]

I had one of my old uni ones go a bit mad, up and down a few times but then it let me out.

 

[Martin2013]

I had one of my old uni ones go a bit mad, up and down a few times but then it let me out.

Reminds me of an episode of "On the buses" where that aparrantley happened to Stan Butler when he parked his bus at a parking metre mid route and went into the gas company office to pay the gas bill, getting delayed long enough for a traffic warden to give the bus two tickets.

 

[py_megapixel]

Interesting that this is in the transport section but whatever.

Never been stuck in one myself but I've been in some worryingly broken-sounding ones. One particular case I remember was in Next, about halfway between the first and ground floors it started shaking violently and making a tremendous rattling and banging noise. I went in it again afterwards and it did the same thing; I have a video of it somewhere. I'll dig it out if anyone wants to see it.

 

[Gloster]

Once, in a German hotel. There was a power cut and whatever should have cut in to lower the lift to the basement didn’t. Lights flickered, the lift went quiet and it stopped fairly quickly (not a jerk to a stop, but quicker than normal). I gave it a few seconds, then pressed the button for my floor again, the pressed it again a few more times rather more decisively, then pushed the alarm. A brief discussion with the reception who said somebody would get us out in a couple of minutes. After around ten minutes I was thinking of contacting them again, but then the lift started whirring and we gently descended to the underground car park: you could only really tell that we were descending by the faint emergency lighting visible through the doors as we passed. Once we reached the car park the doors were opened manually from the outside: as soon as they were fully open the lights in the lift went down to standby and we had to make do with the emergency lighting. (I asked about this and was told that even if everything went onto standby, the lighting in the lifts didn’t until the doors were open.)

 

[joncombe]

Yes got stuck in the lift at the office when going home from work (was not best pleased .... I mean at least if that happened couldn't it be when I arrived, not going home). I was the only person in it. The lift used to beep as the doors opened but on this occasion it emitted a beep for a tiny fraction of a second and went entirely dead. The display went off, the doors didn't open and none of the buttons worked except, fortunately, the alarm button that went to the office reception.

They ended up calling the fire brigade who used crowbars to prize open the doors! I think I was in there about half an hour though I can't remember exactly now, it was about 15 years ago.

It was a very warm day in the middle of summer. I never did find out the cause but I wouldn't be surprised if something overheated and cut out or blew a fuse, it certainly seemed an electrical rather than mechanical problem.

 

[pdq]

Once, at Leeds Station. It was only for a short time, 10 mins max. It must be at least 11 years ago, maybe14 as we had a pushchair with us. I think we got in at the bottom, the doors closed then it wouldn't go anywhere, nor open the doors. I can't remember what happened to get us out (or up).

 

[AndyPJG]

Many years ago my brother was an electrical engineer at a group of (Surrey) hospitals, responded to reports of an issue with a lift so proceeds up in the lift to the motor room to investigate, but the lift stops partway up with him in it.....and guess who has the key to the motor room in his pocket? Yep, fire brigade have to force access to said motor room to wind down lift to release him with the required key in his possession. Next day duplicate spare emergency keys were obtained........

He also had previous on this, got stuck in lift at another hospital hours after my niece was born, but was just a visitor not an employee there.

 

[Bald Rick]

Yes, twice.

First time - at Uni, stranded for over an hour. Got very hot inside, sweat dripping off the ceiling. There may or may not have been too many of us in it at the time.

Second time - at work. Got in at Ground floor. Doors closed and the lift went down. There’s no basement.... that required a clamber out.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

A few times some years ago in a ( now demolished ) office building; this place had hydraulic rather than mechanical lifts and they would quite often jump an inch or two when starting or stopping and it was often on one of those jumps that they would jam. After the first couple of times it got a bit boring and if I was particularly rushed off my feet I once or twice delayed pressing the red button for a couple of minutes just to get some rest!

I think since then I did once get stuck in the mechanical lift in a much more modern building, but I can't really remember now.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Yes, at Polytechnic. Definitely too many people crammed into the lift having come back as a class group from somewhere. Not personally responsible as I was in the lift well before the 'maximum persons' number was massively exceeded. If I recall correctly, the lift rose a little then gave up and sank back into it's pit a bit below ground level. Help button pressed, no particular fuss by the occupants, after a while maintenance staff arrived, prised open the doors, counting people out with a disgusted look - and I don't blame them.

But, as an early occupant do you object as people cram in or do you try to force your way out before the doors are closed? I'm fairly sure comments were made once the number of people passed 'a few' over the 'maximum persons'. you can always go a few over can't you, these things have built in tolerances, maximum 10 persons means 12 really!

 

[John Webb]

I worked in my early days at Plessey's in Ilford. There was a lift to our floor only, part of a war-time extension on top of the original office/laboratory/production block. Just before lunch one day the lift motor caught fire - I think the brake had jammed on. Fortunately I wasn't in it! Also the works fire brigade were housed in the adjacent building and were on scene very quickly to deal with it.

 

[SouthernR]

Many years ago, a colleague from another site got stuck in the Empire State Building. They had to be rescued, using a ladder and/or temporary platform, I think. Unfortunately, one passenger went into panic mode from the start.

 

[Dai Corner]

Not personally, but remember an incident at the school I worked in.

The lift was only for disabled users and carrying heavy loads. Authorised users were issued with the appropriate key. Some pupils got hold of a key and thought it would be cool to ride up and down continually. As word got round more and more crammed in until the inevitable happened and it stopped between floors.

The caretaker took his time trying to open the doors, looking for the 'special key', trying to 'get hold of the lift engineer' who unfortunately 'was two hours away' . Eventually it was decided the miscreants had learned their lesson and they were released to be greeted by the headmistress. She decided they'd had a long enough detention so there was no further punishment.

It never happened again.

 

[thejuggler]

Once worked in a 1970s building with lifts that were the original, 40 years old by then,

We got used to it stopping mid floor, going to the wrong floor, going to the right floor, door not opening and then it moving again and getting stuck. I was also fire warden and was often called to reassure stuck colleagues.

From those calls I always advise never use a lift if you are desperate for the loo!

Building is now demolished.

 

[deltic]

Yes in a block of flats in Bucharest in the 1990s - seemed to be a fairly common issue judging by the reaction of the person we were with. The lift stopped a few feet below where it should have done. The doors were forced open and we clambered up the couple of feet to get out. The block of flats also had no water as it was shut off for a couple of weeks for summer maintenance!.

 

[Bletchleyite]

these things have built in tolerances, maximum 10 persons means 12 really!

They probably do if the "person" weighs the 65kg they use to work it out. I'm twice that.

It's often quoted that a rugby team of 15 (should have checked the size of one before posting! ), or potentially as few as 10 of them, would typically overload a 3500kg GVW 17 seater minibus. It's odd that they keep using such a small figure for a person when someone that light (other than a child) is increasingly rare.

 

[py_megapixel]

Yes, at Polytechnic. Definitely too many people crammed into the lift having come back as a class group from somewhere. Not personally responsible as I was in the lift well before the 'maximum persons' number was massively exceeded. If I recall correctly, the lift rose a little then gave up and sank back into it's pit a bit below ground level.

I think a modern lift will have weight sensors, and would sit with the doors open and refuse to move if it detected it was overloaded.

 

[jamesst]

Yep been stuck in a lift once and had the incredibly unnerving experience of one dropping a floor before what I assume were emergency brakes kicking in.

 

[route101]

Yes in a supermarket goods lift as a staff member. Basically the lift could only take two carts but I forgot and took 3. Lift got stuck between floors. Was just about to press alarm and it suddenly moved, was relieved.

 

[duffers2324]

happened to me twice on holiday in Benidorm, same thing happened in both occasions, first time going from 2nd floor to 5th/rooftop swimmimg pool and just before it got there it slowed, made a bit of a bump and the internal lift door opened, stuck between floors, so a quick press of the button again, the door shuts and moves up a little bit and finally opens at the top, couple of days later same thing happens but this time between the 2nd and 3rd floors.

 

[Stathern Jc]

Not a case of a broken down lift, but back in the mid-80s a couple of colleagues in the offices of the crane factory where I worked at Loughborough found themselves stuck in a lift they wished they hadn't been in.

In the rush out at the end of an afternoon with near perfect timing they just managed to beat the closing doors as the lift set off downwards. Then with just as perfect timing the person already in the lift released a particularly raucous burst of flatulance setting them clawing at the doors vainly hoping to abort their journey.

Not at all like the famous Peter Sellers lift sketch, there was never any doubt as to the culprit!
You may wonder how I'm able to tell such a story. I couldn't possibly comment.

 

[Martin2013]

Never been personally stuck in one but back in May 2007 when I was studying at Leeds College Of Music I had an unforgettable experience in the one in the student accomodation there.

Me and some friends who lived on the top floor of the building (13th floor I think) were going out for the evening and 12-13 of us got in which was over the capacity of 8 persons. As we went down the lift started to jolt and judder. Fortunatley we were able to get out on a floor and walk down the stairs the rest of the way. We then reported there was a problem with the lift resulting in it being taken out of service.

Unfortunatley during the course of the evening the other lift broke down (seem to remember it being sat on the ground floor with the doors half open) so for most of the next day the building was completely without one. I forgot and went to Morrisons and came back with several heavy bags of shopping which I then had to carry up the stairs. By late afternoon one of them had been fixed and I ended up being the first one to use it, joining the engineer who was taking it on a test run. The one we overloaded was out for the rest of the week.

 

[Urobach]

Once, on holiday in Cyprus about 15 years ago. Lift just completely stopped, with all power gone, making the alarm button unusable. Fortunately it had a phone, so we were able to eventually communicate to reception. Presumably an engineer was sent as lift eventually moved then stopped. 5 minutes or so after that we decided to try prising the lift door which miraculously was at a floor in the hotel.

Never got to say thanks to who rescued us as no idea who it was!

 

[Class800]

I am very reluctant to use them - only if no other option. Glass sided ones facing out into a shopping centre are OK, as it is likely there will be phone signal and/or the ability to attract attention. However enclosed lifts are in my opinion a risk. In risk management, there are two dimensions. One is the likelihood of the event. The other is the severity of outcome. Trapped in a lift is low likelihood but high severity. Enclosed lifts are typically a metal box, which will act as an insulator against phone signal, therefore it is very unlikely a mobile phone will work. So, if the lift intercom fails, in the words of Captain Mainwaring, "We're doomed, we're doomed". I was going to ask if anyone has experience of the intercom failing, but alas, they probably wouldn't be here to tell us.

 

[skyhigh]

I am very reluctant to use them - only if no other option. Glass sided ones facing out into a shopping centre are OK, as it is likely there will be phone signal and/or the ability to attract attention. However enclosed lifts are in my opinion a risk. In risk management, there are two dimensions. One is the likelihood of the event. The other is the severity of outcome. Trapped in a lift is low likelihood but high severity. Enclosed lifts are typically a metal box, which will act as an insulator against phone signal, therefore it is very unlikely a mobile phone will work. So, if the lift intercom fails, in the words of Captain Mainwaring, "We're doomed, we're doomed". I was going to ask if anyone has experience of the intercom failing, but alas, they probably wouldn't be here to tell us.

I have to say I disagree with that. I've never heard of someone dying simply of being trapped in a lift - to say being trapped in a lift has a high severety is a little over the top, unless the building it's in happens to be on fire...

For what it's worth I've been trapped in a lift with no intercom, I'm still here to tell the tale.

 

[Class800]

I have to say I disagree with that. I've never heard of someone dying simply of being trapped in a lift - to say being trapped in a lift has a high severety is a little over the top, unless the building it's in happens to be on fire...

For what it's worth I've been trapped in a lift with no intercom, I'm still here to tell the tale.

The high severity comes from no way of extricating yourself, and a reliance on others, who may not be readily contactable. If the intercom fails, how did you contact them. Unless the metal walls of that particular lift were not thick enough to block the phone signal

 

[Bald Rick]

Unless the metal walls of that particular lift were not thick enough to block the phone signal

I’m routinely making phone calls in various lifts, and I’m not alone...

 

[trainmania100]

I haven't been stuck in a lift surprisingly, given the number of small, ancient car park lifts I've been in. However if I do, hopefully it's with an attractive lady where I can show off my heroism of in saving the damsel in distress

 

[Scotrail314209]

Never been stuck in one, but I have had a few that’s dropped on me, quite scary.