Five Rescued from Downtown Elevator

Engine 1 responded to 333 East Campus Mall for a report of five people trapped in an elevator. Firefighters located the stalled car between floors 1 and 3; there is no second floor. Access to the elevator car was not possible from the first floor, and the top of the car was located approximately 20 feet from the door of the third floor doorway.

Engine 1 shut down the main power to the elevator car and deployed a 24-foot extension ladder from the third floor, down the hoist way, to the top of the elevator car. Two firefighters descended the ladder with a safety rope, rescue belt, and an attic ladder.

One firefighter opened the escape hatch from the top of the elevator car, placed the attic ladder into the car, and entered the elevator with the five trapped occupants.

The trapped occupants were fitted with a rescue belt attached to a life safety line, and they were guided out of the car one by one. Each occupant climbed up the 24-foot extension ladder to the third floor, where firefighters safely assisted them out of the elevator shaft.

The rescuers from Engine 1 cleared out of the elevator shaft, too, and the elevator doors were closed and locked. The property was left in the hands of UW Security, which called an elevator company to have the elevator serviced and inspected.