On the morning of September 10, 2026, a 24-year-old technician was involved in an accident while performing elevator maintenance at Shimao Binjiang New Town in Gulou District, Nanjing City, China. During the work, he missed his step and fell into the elevator shaft, leaving him in a dangerous condition.
During the fall, the victim was caught by the safety net at the bottom of the elevator shaft, but sustained injuries to his feet, legs, lower back, and shoulders. The victim completely lost mobility and was unable to escape on his own.
He weighed approximately 135 kg, which made extricating him from the confined space even more difficult.
After surveying the elevator shaft, the rescue team found that the space inside the shaft was extremely narrow, and there was no anchor point for installing a rescue hoisting system. Therefore, the usual lifting method could not be deployed.
The victim's heavy weight and complex injuries further complicated the rescue process.
When the usual method proved unfeasible, the rescue team came up with a solution using the bottom of the elevator car as a load-bearing anchor point.
To precisely adjust the height of the anchor point and install the rope system, the rescue personnel coordinated with another elevator technician at the scene to move the elevator car to an appropriate height, then installed the hoisting rope system at the bottom of the car.
At the bottom of the shaft, the victim was immobilized with a full-body specialized stretcher to protect the spine and minimize the risk of further serious injury. He was then safely brought out and handed over to emergency responders, who transported him to the hospital for treatment.
The incident highlights the hazardous nature of maintenance work inside elevator shafts - a confined space with an inherent risk of falls. During work, technicians must thoroughly check all protective equipment and measures, strictly follow operating procedures, and never be negligent in order to prevent fall accidents.
