Swiss tourist dies in bizarre Phuket hotel accident

[Rimmer]

Distressing and off topic post with video link removed

[HappyinNE]

I got stuck in an elevator in Alexandra Egypt. Went to the bottom and the doors did not open. There was a phone in the elevator which I used to call for help but was not reassured that I would be out in time to catch my bus to the Airport. I opened the doors by hand and was below the first floor looking at a concrete wall. No gap. Finally they were able to raise the elevator to near the first floor where I got out. Not fun at all.

[NickJ]

Sad no doubt. .....I just cant see how you get your head stuck in a space as small as this. Unless he was looking to see if someting was blocking the door......while pushing on the bottons......Anywaaays......I think there could be a Darwin Nomination in the works....

[mikebell]

At least the Hotel is named so would-be guests can vote with their feet and go to a hotel with properly functioning, serviced elevators.

[norbra]

The theory about the doors opening while the lift car was not at that floor is nonsense,as the door opening machinery is mounted on the lift car,if the car is not at that floor the doors cannot open automatically.

The big gap can be found between the lift car floor and the landing doors ,if the inside/car doors are opened manually and the lift car is partway up a lower floor. Looking at the pic there are two landing doors that both open in the same direction so the outer door, nearest policeman, is further from the lift car floor therefore there is a gap maybe 200mm /8"

What nonsense. There have been many cases around the world of the doors opening when the lift is on another floor. I don't know how these things work but I know for certain that it's happened many times.

Here's one to get you started. http://shanghaiist.com/2015/03/07/elevator-accident.php.

Would you believe that I had 33 years installing new lifts and fixing faulty lifts and it is impossible to have the doors open automatically if t. he lift car is not at that floor.The door operator is mounted on the roof of the lift car and when it is at floor level it engages with the lock on the landing door,opening the lock before opening the door. During my years in the industry I had come across shopping carts/trolleys under the lift car,obviously the doors had been opened whilst the lift was not at floor level but this was done manually.

[NamKangMan]

At least the Hotel is named so would-be guests can vote with their feet and go to a hotel with properly functioning, serviced elevators.

There's every chance that the lifts in the other hotels are maintained by the same company as the lifts in this hotel.

[bander]

" The alarm was raised by a receptionist who told police later she had heard a loud thud from the lift and a voice calling for help."

That receptionist deserve a medal, any other receptionist would just got back to sleep like they always do on duty.

[bander]

I'm shocked!

The police theories are actually within the bounds of possibility.

As soon as I read that they had two theories, I would have bet money that one of them was suicide.

The good old suicide theory from RTP never fails.

[F4UCorsair]

Lifts do get stuck from time to time but they are all supposed to have an alarm. Reception girl says she heard cry for help but the article says nothing about alarm.

If I was in a lift that stopped I would press the alarm and even if the staff could not speak my language they would make themselves known.

If your head was trapped how the hell would you press the alarm button, Sherlock. ?

ableguy, I think that Travelman was assuming that the lift stopped, and the guy was trying to find a way out. Of course it would be exceedingly difficult to press the emergency button if your head was stuck at floor level.

I haven't read the entire thread, so am not familiar with the possible sequence of events.

Edited May 26, 2015 by F4UCorsair

[krisb]

Lifts do get stuck from time to time but they are all supposed to have an alarm. Reception girl says she heard cry for help but the article says nothing about alarm.

If I was in a lift that stopped I would press the alarm and even if the staff could not speak my language they would make themselves known.

The reception girl said she heard a loud thud.

The alarm activates if someone presses the alarm button.

My theory is the door opened on his floor and he's walked out and fallen down a floor or half a floor, that was the loud thud. Then he's tried to climb down and his head was crushed trying to squeeze through when the elevator started back up again. That would explain why no alarm was pressed.