How to Escape a Stranded Elevator

Last Updated: December 2, 2022 References

There are few situations worse than being trapped in an elevator to elevate the pulse of anyone afraid of heights, confined spaces, or both. If you should ever find yourself lodged unfortunately between floors (or are currently reading this inside a stuck elevator), here is just about everything you should do to ensure a speedy escape. The thing to keep in mind is that, unless you find yourself in a life-or-death situation, the best thing to do is to call for help and wait for it. Many of your attempts to escape can actually lead you to more danger. To learn how to escape a stranded elevator as safely as you can, see Step 1 to get started.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Call for Help

1
Stay calm. As soon as you realize you're stranded, you may feel a natural urge to panic. However, you have to tell yourself to put mind over matter, and to stay as calm as possible. If you start panicking, your body will start to feel the effects, and you'll only be making it more difficult for yourself to think clearly, and therefore making it harder for you to find a way to escape.^{[1]
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- Take a deep breath and relax your body. It is hard for your mind to be in panic when your body is relaxed.
- If you're not alone in the elevator, then panicking is more likely to make the people around you panic. And having multiple people freaking out in an elevator is not the way to safety. Instead, do your best to be a calming presence to the people around you.
2
Find a light source if the lights are out. If the elevator is dark, you can create some light by using a key chain flashlight or opening your cell phone or PDA. Try your best not to keep the device on for so long that battery power is drained. Creating light will help you see the buttons and get a better sense of your situation. If you're not reading this while stranded in an elevator, then check out your cell phone to see if it has a special "flashlight" feature. If so, this can come in handy -- as long as you make sure it doesn't drain your battery!
- It's also important to quickly get a sense of how many people are stuck in the elevator with you.
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3
Press the call button. If it's dark, use the light source to find the call button. Then, press the call button to contact a technician to help you. This will alert maintenance personnel there is a problem with the elevator. This is the quickest and best way to get help -- much better and safer than trying to take the DIY approach.^{[2]
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4
If there's no answer, try calling for help. If there is no response to pressing the call button, check your cell phone for reception. If you have any reception, call your local emergency services number e.g., 911 for the United States, Canada, etc. 911 may unofficially work in other countries, but cannot be relied on where it isn't officially used. The EU has officially adopted 112 for emergencies, so that is the number to try first if you are in Europe.^{[3]
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- If there is still no response, press the alarm button a few times.
5
Press the "door open" button. Sometimes, this button can just get jammed, and if you press it, it'll open the elevator right up. You may be laughing, but you'd be surprised by how many people call for help to escape a stranded elevator only to find that they just have to press the "door open" button again.
- You can also try the "door close" button, which may have gotten jammed as well.
- You can also try pressing the button of a floor below where the elevator is currently resting.
6
If you can't call for help, try to get the attention of the people outside the elevator. If you've tried the call button or tried calling for help and have gotten no answer, then your next bet can be to try to shout or call for help. You can try to bang on the door of the elevator with shoes or other objects and yell to alert passersby. Depending on the sound transmittance of the door, tapping firmly with a key on the door may make a loud sound throughout the elevator shaft. Shouting can help alert people who are outside the elevator to your situation, but you should know that shouting or yelling excessively can also cause you to panic more, so make sure you try to stay reasonably calm when you are calling for help.
7
Wait it out. If you are not in an extreme life-or-death situation, just wait it out. In a best-case scenario, people will notice the elevator is not working in minutes and you'll be out in no time. People frequently use the elevator and people in the building, especially building personnel, should quickly notice that something is off. Though shouting for help can also help, if it hasn't gotten you anywhere after a while, it's better to stop and wait than to use all of your energy.
- If you've successfully made contact with emergency services, just remember that they'll be on their way as quickly as possible; entrapment calls are taken seriously and you could be freed in thirty minutes or less.^{[4]
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- Though it may be hard to create ice breakers or conversation starters when you're trapped in an elevator with a bunch of strangers, just keep the conversation going. Have people talk about who they are, what they do, where they were going, how many children they have, or really anything at all to keep the conversation going. Silence is much more likely to make people panic or to drop into despair. Do all the talking, if you have to, making sure to stick to the lighthearted topics.
- If you're by yourself, waiting may be a little more difficult, but try to occupy yourself. If you have a magazine or book on hand, consider yourself lucky. Don't waste your phone power by playing with your phone. Instead, try to think of ordinary things to calm yourself down, such as making a list of all of the things you did today, or trying to remember everything you had for dinner for the last week. Stay optimistic by thinking of all of the things you have to look forward to in the upcoming weeks.
- Pull or push the "stop" button to ensure the elevator doesn't move while you're attempting to crawl out.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Escape

Only attempt to escape if you can clearly see that the elevator is close to level with the floor and not stuck in an awkward position.

1
Force the elevator car doors open. This should not be hard because only magnetic interlocks prevent the elevator car doors from opening.
2
See where the elevator is positioned. Use the doors on the outside and see how far off the doors are from reach. If the elevator is at most two feet above the current floor, then proceed on.
3
Pull the interlock holding the shaft door closed down, then open the door.
4
Step (or jump) down onto the floor below you. Keep your balance when landing.
5
Assist other passengers. Persons with disabilities may need assistance escaping the elevator.

Community Q&A

Question

Will there be air inside the elevator?

Adrian

Top Answerer

Yes. Just like in your car or house, there is air to breathe in a stranded elevator.
Question

What if the elevator went to the top and the wires snapped?

Community Answer

It would likely use its safety brakes and stop within a matter of feet.
Question

What do I do if I'm having a baby and I'm stuck in an elevator?

Community Answer

Call the emergency services immediately and go to a doctor once you get out.

Warnings

It is usually safer to remain in the elevator as you risk electrocution and being crushed while crawling around an elevator shaft. Unless you are in a crisis, stay put.

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Do not attempt to escape the elevator unassisted (unless if there is obvious danger with staying in the elevator i.e., fire or smoke). Do not reenter the elevator upon leaving. Elevators have malfunctioned in the past resulting in falling down the shaft or getting trapped in the elevator doors.

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Don't smoke or use matches, as you could set off an additional alarm; in the worst-case scenario completely disabling the lift and leaving you stranded for longer.

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