Elevator falls after drunken 'jumping' by 9 youths

According to reports from La Nación and Clarín, a group of youths had just attended a birthday party in the common room of a newly constructed building at 2700 Arévalo Street. Around 1:30 AM, the entire group—comprising six women and three men—stepped into an elevator on the 7th floor, despite the unit having a design capacity for only four people.

The cabin suddenly plummeted to the ground floor, then continued to slide down to the first basement level. Initial investigation results indicate that the elevator's emergency braking system activated when the cabin drifted past the 3rd floor but was insufficient to bring the lift to a complete halt.

Firefighters, local police, and the Emergency Medical Assistance System (SAME) urgently deployed 11 ambulances along with medical teams to the scene. The victims were rescued from a state where the cabin was deformed and glass was severely shattered. All nine individuals were transported to Fernández (5 people), Pirovano (2 people), and Rivadavia (2 people) hospitals.

A 20-year-old female victim suffered a fractured femur, another sustained a fractured fibula, while the remaining individuals suffered only minor multiple injuries and have been discharged.

Some sources on social media suggested that the group of youths might have been in a state of intoxication, attempting to cram into the elevator despite the maximum capacity of only four people. They reportedly jumped, believing this action might make the elevator move faster. However, it was precisely this behavior that led to the overload condition, causing the cabin to drift and fall abruptly.

Image of the scene of the incident

Prosecutor Federico Brondini of the City's North Area Flagrancy Unit is directing the investigation into the cause of the incident. The scene has been sealed off to facilitate technical forensic examination of the elevator.

It is known that this building has been in use for less than a year and currently has only three occupied apartments. A representative from the Vidal Construction Company—the entity that built the structure—confirmed that the elevator has a maximum capacity of four people but was not equipped with a load limit sensor, a device that prevents the elevator from operating when the allowable weight is exceeded. Previously, at the beginning of the week, the entire elevator system had undergone periodic inspection and met requirements.

Elevator inspection was handled by the Salvatierra Company. According to regulations of the Government Control Agency (AGC), elevator inspection and maintenance companies must be officially registered. Sources from this agency also confirmed that Salvatierra Company is licensed and the elevator in question had been inspected in accordance with regulations.

Inside the elevator cabin, a placard clearly stating the passenger capacity and corresponding weight limit was posted, accompanied by a QR code allowing tracking of the monthly periodic inspection history to ensure safe operation.

The morning after the incident, firefighters and police returned to the scene to take photographs and collect data for forensic work. Many residents in the building stated they remain anxious and will await the investigation results as well as a re-inspection of the entire system before the elevators are put back into operation.

In the released images, the elevator can be seen to be severely damaged, with shattered glass and a collapsed structure.

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