Have you ever been in a lift (elevator) when it went into freefall ?
I was, once (believe me, you don't want it to happen twice).
I got in on the 17th floor in our office buidling, heading for 3. As we passed the 15th floor, the lift suddenly lurched, picked up speed and just dropped ! I had always undertsood that there were emergency brakes that cut in automatically in case of a malfunction - and there must have been, I suppose, as we stopped with a hell of a jolt between the 2nd and 1st Floors.
They had to winch the cab back up to the second floor to get me out (I was on my own). I nwas asked if I was all right and I told them "Yes - except for my wits - as in frightened out of them !" It took about 3 or 4 weeks before I would use the lifts again, preferring to use the stairs.
7 Answers to "Have you ever been in a lift (elevator) when it went into freefall ?"
-
no but it sounds like a hell of a ride, these phenomenons are extremely rare, elevators are built to withstand a maximum weight of around 5000lbs and have emergency braking systems that engage if the cable tension drops or if the cable snaps and the elevator car goes into freefall. for this reason you cannot slam into the ground at 120mph in an elevator. for this to happen in the one you were in suggests that the company you work for decided not to regularly inspect and maintain the elevator system and are therefore not operating within legal bounds.
Like (1)
-
Yes, from 47th floor to below the fifth.
Was pretty cool. Didn't stop me from using elevator, in fact was in one in same building an hour and a half later. And the same one the next day.
There were four others with me. Two were freaked, the others were okay with it.Like (1)
-
I'm surprised you fell that far. From what I understand the bottom of the elevator has leave springs sorta like on a car. As long as there is tension on the cable above the springs stay in place but the minute tension is gone the springs pop out and stop the elevator. Lucky you it didn't work right away. I'm surprised you didn't have a heart attack...I probably would have lol
Like (1)
-
the liability of an elevator company is so high that this never happens. to plummet to the earth at terminal velocity would kill you for sure. elevator manufacturers like Otis or Thysen-Krupp. have redundant braking systems
Like (1)
-
Well, I can assure you, this happened - and it was an Otis. It was in City Hall, Westminster, in 2005
Like (1)
-
Otis elevator is a division of UTC based in hartford connecticut one town away from were i live has had a stellar record of safety also elevators are supposed to be inspected every year if the british are too cheap to maintain their elevators you cant blame the manufacturer
Like (1)
-
no.
Like (1)
-
Never been in one that free fell but i was in one that hit the top of the shaft. my feet came about a foot off the floor when it hit.
Like (1)
Best Answer (Chosen by Voting):
Posted by donotfollowme May 23rd, 2012 at 10:33AM
yes in the year 2006
[ Reply ] | Like (1)