Hanoi: Rescue of 13 people trapped in an elevator - Risks from rescue operations not following safety techniques

Citing information from the Fire Prevention, Fighting and Rescue Police Department of the Hanoi City Police, the Health and Life Newspaper reported that at approximately 6:10 PM on August 6, the Fire Fighting and Rescue Team for Area No. 13 received a report about an elevator entrapment incident at a house combined with business premises at No. 1C Dinh Cong Thuong, Dinh Cong Ward.

At the time of the incident, there were 13 people trapped inside the elevator car, including 5 adults and 8 children; among them were 2 foreigners.

Immediately after receiving the information, the Fire Fighting and Rescue Team for Area No. 13 reported to the Command Information Center of the Hanoi City Police and simultaneously dispatched 1 rescue vehicle, 1 fire engine, 1 fire-fighting motorcycle, along with officers and soldiers to the scene.

The rescue forces quickly deployed a plan to access the elevator, while also reassuring and instructing those inside the cabin to remain calm and avoid panic while waiting to be rescued.

After a rapid handling process, the authorities managed to open the elevator door and bring all 13 people out.

However, images and videos of the rescue process reported by the Health and Life Newspaper show that the elevator cabin was in an off-level state, meaning it was outside the permitted door-opening zone for carrying out the rescue.

This is a situation with many potential risks. If the cabin moves unexpectedly, people in a half-in, half-out position could suffer dangerous injuries to their bodies or lives, such as being crushed or severed.

Observation from the video shows that the gap between the cabin floor and the landing door header is very small. Exiting was difficult and dangerous. At some points, even adults had to struggle to get out.

Another notable detail is that the lower part of the cabin in this incident was not equipped with an apron (landing door guard). This component is designed to shield the gap between the cabin and the hoistway wall, helping to reduce the risk of people or objects falling into the hoistway if the cabin stops off-level. 

According to the National Technical Standard (TCVN), designing the landing door apron with a minimum length of 0.75m can mitigate the risk of people falling into the pit when evacuating while the cabin is not level with the floor. However, this measure also does not guarantee safety if the cabin drifts.

Therefore, during elevator rescue operations, it is imperative to strictly comply with the technical regulations regarding bringing the cabin to the safe zone (no more than 20cm above/below the landing door sill), using a specialized key to open the elevator door, and only then evacuating the trapped persons.

In cases where the landing door and car door are mechanically driven and operate simultaneously, the unlocking zone limit may extend up to 0.35m above and below the floor level of the landing.

*It should be noted that the assessments of the incident in Dinh Cong Ward, Hanoi above are based on images and videos recorded at the scene. The exact cause of the incident, as well as the entire rescue procedure, need to be verified and clarified by the authorities and specialized units.