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Victim Rescued from a Stuck Elevator Car in The World Trade Center
By Steve Yamamoto | September 22, 2010
At approximately 9:45 am this morning, the Long Beach Fire Department (LBFD) responded to The World Trade Center downtown for a report of a trapped victim on a stuck elevator car. Upon arrival, Engine 1 discovered that one female victim was indeed trapped high above the ground floor in an elevator car between the 12th and 13th floor. Task Force 6, which consists of Engine 6 and USAR 6 (Urban Search And Rescue), were quickly requested to respond for specially trained personnel and equipment. They decided that the only way they could safely rescue the victim was to do an “elevator to elevator rescue”. Two USAR Firefighters that were equipped with special harnesses, loaded onto the top of an elevator car on the 17th floor that was directly next to the elevator shaft of the stuck elevator. They then lowered that car down between the 12th and 13th floor next to the other elevator. Both Firefighters carefully moved across to the roof of the stuck elevator car with the trapped victim and lowered a small attic ladder through the access hatch. With the firefighters assistance, the victim cautiously climbed up the ladder and onto the top of the elevator car. They then moved her carefully across to the working car and after about 30 minutes from the time of dispatch the female victim was safely offloaded from the elevator onto 17th floor. The very relieved victim was then evaluated by the Paramedics of Rescue 1 for any injuries and released.
If not for the members of the LBFD and the specially trained members of the USAR Team, this person could have been stuck for a much, much longer period of time or even worse been severely injured in the rescue process due to the very dangerous environment in the elevator shaft.
This incident occurred in the 2nd Council District with a total of 7 apparatus and 17 personnel operating on scene.
Topics: Incidents | 27 Comments »
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