Viral video: Man narrowly escapes death as elevator moves while he was stepping out

Ahmedabad: A man narrowly avoided a potentially fatal accident after a lift suddenly malfunctioned while he was stepping out, escaping being trapped in the elevator shaft.

CCTV footage of the incident has gone viral on the internet, showing the man stepping out just seconds before the elevator moved unexpectedly. Netizens expressed concern and criticised the maintenance company over the apparent safety lapse.

The incident occurred in a residential complex on Tithal Road in Valsad city of Gujarat, India.

According to the CCTV footage, the man entered the elevator around 7:22 AM and pressed the button to go up. Seconds later, the lift doors opened and he began stepping out.

Suddenly, the elevator moved upward even though the doors were still open, almost trapping him between the lift cabin and the elevator shaft. He managed to step away just in time, narrowly escaping serious injury or death.

The lift continued moving despite the doors being open, indicating a major technical failure in the safety sensors or the interlocking system.

Technicians had reportedly visited the building two days earlier to address minor maintenance issues, including problems with the lift’s light and fan.

Residents heard a loud crashing sound and rushed to the elevator area. The viral video has sparked concerns over elevator safety and maintenance in residential buildings.

Earlier, on December 5, 2024, a 10-year-old boy was crushed to death after becoming trapped in an elevator shaft in a building in Karachi’s Gulistan-i-Jauhar area.

A Rescue 1122 official, Hassaan Khan, said the incident took place in a residential apartment building.

“A young man entered the lift from the ground floor and pressed a button to go to the fifth floor,” he said. “Just as the lift was about to go up, two boys who were playing in the building rushed to stop it.”

He said that while one of the boys managed to enter the lift, the victim became stuck in the elevator shaft and was dragged up to the fifth floor, dying on the spot.