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Elevated Risks: Trapped in lift, domestic help rescued after 3 hrs in unconscious state

This incident took place on the 14th floor of Sunbreeze One Apartment, part of the BBD Green City Apartment complex located on Faizabad Road in Lucknow.

Published on: Sep 16, 2023, 21:50:39 IST
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LUCKNOW: While four daily wage labourers tragically lost their lives after a fall from a service lift in an under-construction building in Noida, the issue of lift malfunctions persists unabated in Lucknow, seemingly impervious to the lessons learned from that tragedy. In the early hours of Saturday morning, a domestic helper found herself trapped inside a lift for a harrowing three hours before being rescued in an unconscious state.

Domestic help, Bitto, was rescued after being stuck in a lift for three hours. (HT Photo)
Domestic help, Bitto, was rescued after being stuck in a lift for three hours. (HT Photo)

This incident took place on the 14th floor of Sunbreeze One Apartment, part of the BBD Green City Apartment complex located on Faizabad Road in Lucknow.

“The woman, Bitto, 22, who serves as a domestic helper in various flats within this high-rise, arrived at approximately 5 am to commence her day. She entered the lift in Tower 11 when, unexpectedly, it became stuck on the 7th floor of this towering 14-floor structure,” said SK Pandey, secretary of the Resident Welfare Association (RWA).

“Around 8:15 am, one resident, Shishir Khare of Tower 11, heard her cries for help and rescued her while she remained unconscious. She was revived with lemon water, and her blood pressure was checked before being sent home,” he added.

According to LB Rai, president of the RWA, this woman endured this ordeal due to the absence of an intercom or any emergency communication provision within the lift. Notably, this complex has a total of 24 lifts, with two in each of its 12 towers, and reportedly, it’s a common occurrence for these lifts to malfunction, leaving people stranded within.

“The security system here is highly deficient. In these 12 towers, Viraj Construction Pvt Ltd, the builder company, has only assigned 5-6 security guards. Today, when this incident occurred, not one of them came to her aid,” the RWA members claimed while pointing out that the building’s maintenance falls under Viraj Constructions.

When questioned about these allegations, Arun Rathore, Estate Manager of Sunbreeze I Apartment BBD at Viraj Construction Pvt. Limited, responded, “With 24 lifts in operation, occasional minor issues are expected. Upon receiving the alert, we dispatched two personnel to open the lift door and successfully rescued the victim, who is now in a stable condition.”

“Emergency contact numbers are provided, and anyone facing such a situation can reach out to us for assistance,” he added.