Dubai elevator ride gone horribly wrong
By Irene Arsenia, Staff Reporter
DUBAI - What was supposed to be a routine ride on an elevator turned into a traumatic experience for five Filipino expatriates in Dubai.
Sharon L., her husband and three other companions took the elevator from the third floor of a building in Dubai when it abruptly stopped halfway through the first floor and mezzanine floor, quickly followed by a loud "bang".
Sharon said it was not clear what caused the malfunction on Friday night, but she could see the elevator doors become slightly unhinged because of the impact.
There was no mobile phone coverage inside the elevator so the group couldn't call for help, Sharon told PilipinasToday. There was also no ceiling access so they had no other way out, she added. They rang the alarm button to call for help and rescuers arrived within 20 minutes, she said.
The rescue effort took more than an hour. "I always double check the elevators now [before boarding]," Sharon said of her reaction after the incident. As of Thursday, the elevator was still out of service, she said.
Sharon managed to take photos of the horrific incident using her mobile phone. In these series of shots, take a look at the drama as it unfolded...
The occupants are stranded inside an elevator stuck between the first floor and mezzanine floor
Rescuers pry the doors open...
Finally, they manage to pull out one of the steel doors...
There is an opening to the mezzanine floor, but the gap is not big enough for anyone to crawl out...
A rescuer gets through the gap from the first floor...
The remaining elevator door is dismantled to make the escape path bigger...
The elevator occupants crawl out to safety, one by one...
What should you do when you are stuck in an elevator? Here are 10 important things to remember.
