Elevator entrapment
What an entrapment is, who may open the car, what gets logged, and what happens afterward.
Stuck in an elevator? Start here.
Elevators are one of the safest ways to travel inside a building, and entrapments are uncommon. When they do happen, the right moves are simple: get help, stay put, and let trained people open the car. This page is the emergency read for anyone inside a stopped car and for the building manager, strata council, or condo board member who gets the call.
If you are in the car right now: the first five minutes
- Call for help. Press the alarm button, then use the emergency phone or intercom in the car. If no one answers, or if anyone is injured or in distress, call 911 (United States and Canada).
- Stay in the car. It is the safest place to be. The car is held by brakes and safety devices and is designed not to drop.
- Do not force the doors, climb out, or open any roof hatch. Only trained, authorized personnel should open an elevator.
- Give clear details: the building address, which elevator, how many people are inside, and whether anyone is hurt or needs medical attention.
- Wait, and breathe. Lights and ventilation usually keep working or come back. A technician or the fire service is on the way.
Power rarely goes out in the small, enclosed space people fear. It is also normal for a stopped car to sit between floors, where the doors cannot reach an opening. That is not a sign the car is about to fall.
If you are the person in the car
Being trapped in a lift is unsettling, especially alone, at night, or with children. Tell the operator or call taker if anyone in the car has a medical condition, is pregnant, has a disability, or is distressed, so help can be prioritized. Keep other passengers away from the doors and from any attempt to pry them open.
Once help arrives, follow their instructions. A technician may move the car to the nearest floor and open the doors there; the fire service may do the same. In some buildings the doors can only be opened from outside. What you should not do is step, jump, or climb through a partially open door.
The emergency phone or alarm inside the car is usually the fastest route to the people who manage the building and the elevator service company. Try it before your mobile phone, which may have no signal in a shaft or machine room.
If you are the manager or board member getting the call
Your job is to get trained help moving and to keep the building calm. You are not expected to open the car, and you should not try.
- Confirm rescue is coming. Call your elevator service company's emergency line. If passengers are in distress, or if the company cannot respond, call 911.
- Do not attempt to free passengers. Prying doors or reaching into a shaft puts passengers and rescuers at risk.
- Find out which car and how many people. Ask the passengers and building staff, and note whether anyone needs medical help.
- Write it down. Record the time of the call, the time the car stopped, who responded, and when passengers were released. This becomes the incident log — seeelevator entrapment.
- Tell residents what is happening. If the car stays out of service afterward, send a notice to residents with what happened and what to do next.
What happens next: the rescue chain
An entrapment call typically reaches the building's elevator service company, and often the fire service as well. A technician arrives with the keys and tools for that model; the fire service is trained for elevator rescue where local practice assigns it. Only those trained and authorized people open the car, because a stopped car may be between floors or partly out of alignment with the landing.
How long it takes depends on traffic, access, the building, and the fault. Most passengers are out within a relatively short time, but there is no universal number. Clear address and car details are the single biggest thing that speeds a response. Theelevator entrapment page explains the rescue chain, what gets logged, and what happens in the days after.
Why elevators stop
Common causes include power interruptions, door and sensor faults, an overloaded or misleveled car, and mechanical or control problems. A single car stopping is usually a fault in that car; several cars at once often points to a power issue. Elevator safety codes — most US states and Canadian provinces adopt ASME A17.1 / CSA B44, the joint Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators — set out how cars must behave when something goes wrong. Modern cars are designed to stop safely rather than fall.
Want the definitional answer — what "out of service" actually means, and how to check whether your building is already reported — start with the independent guide atelevatoruptime.com and itspublic outage tracker. It is the best place to see a building's current status.
Keep reading
How long can an elevator be out of service?
The obligations read: ADA and accessibility in the US, provincial rules in Canada, and what "reasonable" means in practice.
Notice to residents
What a good outage notice says, plus copy-and-paste text for a letter, an email, and a lobby sign.
Stuck in an elevator: common questions
What to do if you are stuck in an elevator?
Press the alarm or use the emergency phone first, then call 911 if no one answers or anyone is hurt. Stay in the car, do not force the doors, and wait for a trained technician or the fire service.
What happens if you get stuck in an elevator?
A call goes to the building or elevator service company, and often to the fire service. A trained, authorized person comes to move the car to a floor or open the doors safely. The event is usually written up in an incident log.
Is it dangerous to get stuck in an elevator?
Being trapped is uncomfortable and frightening, but it is rarely dangerous when you stay inside the car and wait. The real danger comes from trying to force the doors or climb out.
What are the chances of getting stuck in an elevator?
Elevator travel is one of the safest forms of transport, and entrapments are uncommon. When they happen, power problems, door faults, and mechanical or sensor faults are common causes.
Who is allowed to open the elevator doors?
Only trained, authorized personnel — typically an elevator technician or the fire service. Modern elevators are governed by safety codes such as ASME A17.1 / CSA B44, which restrict who may open a car and how.
Do I call 911 or the elevator company?
If there is a medical emergency, fire, or risk of harm, call 911 first. Otherwise, press the alarm or use the car phone to reach the building or the elevator service company. If you cannot reach anyone, call 911.
General information only — not legal, engineering, or safety advice. In an emergency, call 911 or your local emergency number.