12 stuck in restobar’s lift rescued after 3-hour operation in Delhi’s Rajendra Place | Delhi News
NEW DELHI: Twelve people trapped in the elevator of a restobar in central Delhi’s Rajendra Place were rescued after a three-hour operation early Monday morning. Police suspect overloading led to the lift malfunctioning.
The incident was reported from Illume The Soir Bar at 1.45am when the elevator, which was carrying the people from the fourth floor, stopped abruptly between the first and second floors, with no means of escape.
The fire department was alerted at 2.57am and dispatched three trucks to the spot, said one of the members of the rescue team. Atul Garg, director, Delhi Fire Service (DFS), said the rescue work took at least three hours and all the trapped people were evacuated safely by the firefighters. The operation was led by station officer Nitin.
The rescuers told TOI that on reaching the spot, they found people screaming for help. One rescuer said two groups – one possibly including the trapped persons and the other comprised of restaurant staff – seemed to be arguing.
Among those trapped were four girls, an officer said. The small lift, which was already jam-packed, had no space for another person.
There were three exit routes in the building-one on the fourth floor, another on the third, and finally, one on the ground level. “We tried to move the lift but it was not working as per our plan. There was only one way to rescue – to cut open the roof of the elevator,” said a firefighter.
Using specialised cutting tools, the firefighters accessed the lift through the roof, entered it on the third floor and escorted the people out. Videos of the rescue, which were widely shared on social media, showed the rescuers lowering a staircase onto the roof to allow the trapped persons to climb safely to the ground level.
“Initial investigation suggests that overloading likely caused the malfunction,” police said. When contacted, there was no immediate response from Illume bar.
In May last year, DFS had rescued four people stuck in a lift at a club in Connaught Place after an hour-long operation. In July, 10 people partying in a club in South Extension-I had a harrowing experience as the building’s lift suddenly jammed, leaving them stuck on the third floor.
The incident was reported from Illume The Soir Bar at 1.45am when the elevator, which was carrying the people from the fourth floor, stopped abruptly between the first and second floors, with no means of escape.
The fire department was alerted at 2.57am and dispatched three trucks to the spot, said one of the members of the rescue team. Atul Garg, director, Delhi Fire Service (DFS), said the rescue work took at least three hours and all the trapped people were evacuated safely by the firefighters. The operation was led by station officer Nitin.
The rescuers told TOI that on reaching the spot, they found people screaming for help. One rescuer said two groups – one possibly including the trapped persons and the other comprised of restaurant staff – seemed to be arguing.
Among those trapped were four girls, an officer said. The small lift, which was already jam-packed, had no space for another person.
There were three exit routes in the building-one on the fourth floor, another on the third, and finally, one on the ground level. “We tried to move the lift but it was not working as per our plan. There was only one way to rescue – to cut open the roof of the elevator,” said a firefighter.
Using specialised cutting tools, the firefighters accessed the lift through the roof, entered it on the third floor and escorted the people out. Videos of the rescue, which were widely shared on social media, showed the rescuers lowering a staircase onto the roof to allow the trapped persons to climb safely to the ground level.
“Initial investigation suggests that overloading likely caused the malfunction,” police said. When contacted, there was no immediate response from Illume bar.
In May last year, DFS had rescued four people stuck in a lift at a club in Connaught Place after an hour-long operation. In July, 10 people partying in a club in South Extension-I had a harrowing experience as the building’s lift suddenly jammed, leaving them stuck on the third floor.