Condo Elevator Rescue

[Manhattan]

I thought Luna was supposed to a luxury building with reputable builders...

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgar...ue-family.html

[BananaFob]

I was there this morning right when it happened as I live on the 11th floor...
There was a plumber working on the water lines on Monday, I bet it's related to that rather than any deficiency in the building. Hope he has lots of insurance.

Here's what I sent to a buddy in an email this morning:

I got out of the shower this morning, around 8:30 ish probably. Sitting around checking the weather, and I hear someone yelling from the hallway. Didn’t really pay much heed… there was a sound of water as well but I thought it was coming from outside.

Guy keeps yelling, so I open the door to see what’s going on. Yelling continues and there is a loud sound of rushing water. I press the elevator button but I don’t hear the elevators moving so I realize that the yelling is coming from the elevator and the water is filling up there. I grab my shoes and run down the stairs. Can’t get out on main floor as it doesn’t connect there, have to go to P1. I look at the elevators there and water is gushing out and I hear someone banging on the elevator door. I called 911, firefighters got into the main floor elevator. Young family there with a little kid, all crying. Water was at their waist level.

[Kloubek]

Holy shit. That must have been scary as hell for them.

[Kg810]

Here's the article before they changed it for the added dramatics


» Click image for larger version

[Xtrema]

Originally posted by Kloubek
Holy shit. That must have been scary as hell for them.

[Kloubek]

^ Ok... maybe not quite as scary.

[whiskas]

How did the water level rise in the elevator itself? I don't think they make them to be particularly water tight, and even if the water level in the elevator shaft was rising, it would spill out onto the bottom-most floor (usually lowest parkade level) which should have proper drainage into the sumps.

[FraserB]

Probably falling down the shaft itself and through the top of the elevator.

[Xtrema]

Originally posted by whiskas
How did the water level rise in the elevator itself? I don't think they make them to be particularly water tight, and even if the water level in the elevator shaft was rising, it would spill out onto the bottom-most floor (usually lowest parkade level) which should have proper drainage into the sumps.

I would guess water getting in is faster than getting out.

But that's fucked up. If the tweet above is correct and at waist level, it's 1/3 filled and if don't drown in it, I'm pretty sure they are at the weight limit of what that cable can carry.

The condo's reserve fund is going to be fucked. Everyone pays.

I don't think owning anything with an elevator shaft in Calgary is a smart investment.

[lilmira]

Damn they got shafted.

[woodywoodford]

Originally posted by FraserB
Probably falling down the shaft itself and through the top of the elevator.

Would still be leaky as fuck I'd think... Unless its a huge flow, which if he heard it it probably was.

Still, that's the stuff my nightmares are made of. Bets that the family will never use an elevator again? (also will be buying a crowbar after work tonight)

[FixedGear]

simple, just wait for water to fill elevator so you can swim up and open secret escape hatch in the top.

[l/l/rX]

I'm just talking to my co worker who was the other guy in that situation helping out. He was saying the building supervisor or whatever was in soo much of a panic she didn't even know what to do. Man if those 2 weren't there and only the building sup was... sounds like it could have been a way worse situation.

[Dave P]

Originally posted by lilmira
Damn they got shafted.

[FullFledgedYYC]

And this is why I will buy a house.

[Kloubek]

Originally posted by FixedGear
simple, just wait for water to fill elevator so you can swim up and open secret escape hatch in the top.

That's like asking someone in a submerged car to happily wait as their car sinks and fills up with water because they can't open the door. Certainly not a situation someone wants to be in.

...not to mention the father would have to hold his child up until the water got high enough to tread it while holding onto her. It also doesn't consider that perhaps he isn't the strongest swimmer in the world. Personally, I can't swim... believe it or not. If it was me in there, I'd be freakin out for sure.

The extra weight of the water isn't something I considered but that too would be a potentially huge problem.

This could have gone sideways so many ways so this is an awesome ending.

[BananaFob]

Originally posted by Xtrema


The condo's reserve fund is going to be fucked. Everyone pays.

I don't think so. Condo board has it's own insurance for stuff like this so it will go through that and I'm betting that the insurance is going to go hard after the contractor that was in on Monday. The condo board just got set up and I doubt there's much of a reserve fund if at all since this is a brand new building.

[muse017]

I suspect its got something to do with the job they did earlier this week. They shut off the water line for about 10hrs. Good to hear everyone is ok tho.
Hopefully I dont have to climb up all the way to 20th floor

[Mattloaf]

Originally posted by FixedGear
simple, just wait for water to fill elevator so you can swim up and open secret escape hatch in the top.

That'd be fine except it's Canadian elevator code standard to lock the emergency hatch from the outside. It's been proven that more people die trying to get out of an elevator than from being trapped inside.

I worked in sales for ThyssenKrupp Elevator for years and the only death in Canada during that time was a repair guy who decided to jump from one elevator to the adjacent shaft. Elevator started moving and his harness got caught and he was cut in half. If you're ever stuck, water or not, just stay put.

As to the water issue, elevators must be designed with vents at floor level, but they are only designed to let in fresh air in the event of a fire and I doubt they could release enough water to keep it from filling up if water was coming in as quickly as people are saying. That being said the higher up the cab you go the more holes you find (door lining, control panel, wall fixtures, etc) so my guess is it would have evened out (water in = water out) before the water line reached the top. I doubt most elevator companies are really that concerned with their cabs filling with water though...

Last point, with regards to weight and rope breakage. The weight you see posted in the elevator is maximum weight -25% for ONE rope. Unless horribly frayed, rusted or damaged, that cab was in no danger of falling, even completely filled with water. What would happen is the ropes would slip on the sheave (large wheel that moves the counterweight up and down) and the elevator would slowly be lowered into the pit. So feel free to jump in an elevator to freak your GFs out. It might get stuck from being unlevel, but it won't fall.

[Frankie88]

Wow, this really put Luna on the spot as they still got many units to sell also with the other project Calla.