Just before 9 am on Tuesday morning 14 November 2017, Netcare 911 responded to requests for assistance at a building in the Durban CDB where twenty people were reportedly stuck in a lift.
Netcare 911 and eThekwini Fire and Rescue services dispatched resources to the scene.
Reports from the scene alleged that a technician from the lift company had been on site for a while and was unable to access the lift as it was stuck between the 15th and 16th floors. He made several attempts and the Emergency Services were then called in to assist. After some time the lift was lowered to the fourth floor where the doors were finally open by the lift technician.
A Netcare 911 Advanced Life Support paramedic and ambulance crews were on hand and assessed the twenty occupants as they exited the lift, they were triaged into groups of who required medical assistance and those who did not. It was alleged that they had been stuck in the lift for approximately two and a half hours. Some of the occupants collapsed when they exited the lift. Paramedics attended to six people including a pregnant lady. All six were in a stable condition and were transported to a hospital for further assessment and care.
It was a very warm morning in the city which added to the discomfort of those who were stuck in the lift.
The incident and preceding events still need to be investigated.