Stuck in an elevator at a Springhill Suites in Newark CA
Mar 28, 2023 | 7:22 am
#31
Join Date: Sep 2022
Location: FCO, SYD
Posts: 273
Having just arrived into LHR T3, I stepped into the lift from the arrivals concourse to go down to the T5 transfer bus. I was on a tight connection, as my flight had left DFW 100 mins late, so I was already somewhat flustered. The lift descends to the ground floor, and stops, but the door doesn’t open. So I press the OPEN DOOR button. (At least I thought to try that, lol!) Nothing. Try again. Still nothing. I was beginning to panic at this stage, so I press the OPEN button several times in quick succession. Still nothing. Then, pondering what to do next and contemplating using the emergency call button, I happen to hear a very faint whooshing sound behind me. I turn around, only to see the door closing behind me. It was a lift with forward and rear doors, and there I was standing like an idiot pushing buttons and panicking, whilst the door was opening and closing behind me!
And yes, I did make my connection to FCO. In fact, I even had time to stop in for about 15 mins at the T5 North lounge for a desperately-needed coffee!
Last edited by RatherGhastly; Mar 28, 2023 at 11:39 am
Mar 28, 2023 | 10:36 am
#32
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: EDI/GLA
Programs: DL 2.3 MM Unobtainum | UA 1.2MM Gold | AS 0.5MM |MR Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 2,814
Heheh, I had a similar felt-like-a-moron experience recently:Having just arrived into LHR T3, I stepped into the lift from the arrivals concourse to go down to the T5 transfer bus. I was on a tight connection, as my flight had left DFW 100 mins late, so I was already somewhat flustered. The lift descends to the ground floor, and stops, but the door doesnt open. So I press the OPEN DOOR button. (At least I thought to try that, lol!) Nothing. Try again. Still nothing. I was beginning to panic at this stage, so I press the OPEN button several times in quick succession. Still nothing. Then, pondering what to do next and contemplating using the emergency call button, I happen to hear a very faint whooshing sound behind me. I turn around, only to see the door closing behind me. It was a lift with forward and rear doors, and there I was standing like an idiot pushing buttons and panicking, whilst the door was opening and closing behind me!
Apr 5, 2023 | 4:28 pm
#34
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 3,039
From a fire department perspective...
Someone upthread mentioned the fire department charging for the service. Knowing the US fire service as well as I do, there are very few departments that charge for any type of service, and those that do are in states where insurance companies will pay for a response to an actual fire call, car wreck where one needs to be extricated by mechanical means, etc. (This is different than being charged for an ambulance transport by a fire department.)
That said, the fire department can inadvertently do damage to an elevator when forcing a door open. While a 'stuck elevator' is a common incident, my jurisdiction does not routinely force an elevator door open unless someone inside the elevator car is having a medical emergency. On the other hand, we don't take an on-site person's word that 'someone is on their way'; we talk directly to the on-call elevator tech, determine his/her ETA, and if it is a reasonable amount of time, we'll wait for the tech and then ensure the tech doesn't have any issue with opening the door. If the ETA is not reasonable, say greater than 60-90 minutes, then we may just tell the on-site person that we'll proceed with forcing the door. But if we cause ANY damage, the elevator will need to be inspected by an independent firm, likely not until the next business day at the earliest, before the elevator can be placed back into service. A place like a SHS may only have one elevator to begin with.
So being stuck in a elevator is not fun (I've been there also), but the fire department has to look at the big picture.
Someone upthread mentioned the fire department charging for the service. Knowing the US fire service as well as I do, there are very few departments that charge for any type of service, and those that do are in states where insurance companies will pay for a response to an actual fire call, car wreck where one needs to be extricated by mechanical means, etc. (This is different than being charged for an ambulance transport by a fire department.)
That said, the fire department can inadvertently do damage to an elevator when forcing a door open. While a 'stuck elevator' is a common incident, my jurisdiction does not routinely force an elevator door open unless someone inside the elevator car is having a medical emergency. On the other hand, we don't take an on-site person's word that 'someone is on their way'; we talk directly to the on-call elevator tech, determine his/her ETA, and if it is a reasonable amount of time, we'll wait for the tech and then ensure the tech doesn't have any issue with opening the door. If the ETA is not reasonable, say greater than 60-90 minutes, then we may just tell the on-site person that we'll proceed with forcing the door. But if we cause ANY damage, the elevator will need to be inspected by an independent firm, likely not until the next business day at the earliest, before the elevator can be placed back into service. A place like a SHS may only have one elevator to begin with.
So being stuck in a elevator is not fun (I've been there also), but the fire department has to look at the big picture.