MANILA, Philippines – At least 21 people have been rushed to the hospital after the elevator they were in accidentally dropped from the 52nd floor of a Makati building.
Around 1:00 in the morning today, call center agents rode the service elevator of PBCom Tower. Unfortunately, the elevator malfunctioned and it quickly dropped from the 52nd floor to the 30th floor before the emergency brake worked. When they reached the 12th floor, the door refused to open as it went straight to the ground floor.
As soon as the elevator door opened, the passengers were nauseous while some vomited from fright and anxiety.
Makati City Police chief Senior Superintendent Rogelio Simon reported that the victims sustained minor injuries. He said, “There were 28 people aboard the service elevator. That is a ‘service elevator’, it should be used with an operator. However, they still rode it. They just kept pushing buttons there that is why it malfunctioned.”
“Some of them were vomiting upon reaching the ground floor. They were very dizzy and weak after the incident that is why some of them were rushed to nearby hospitals," Simon added.
PBCom had released a statement saying that the elevator exceeded the maximum capacity. They said that the elevator "descended rapidly from the 30th floor. The descent triggered the emergency breaking [sic] system." It said that the elevator was carrying 32 passengers which was over its maximum capacity.
“21 were injured and undergoing treatment in local hospitals. They are being attended to by the building administration for their medical expenses," PBCom stated.
— Sally, The Summit Express
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| Call center agents had the ride of their lives when their elevator dropped from the 52nd floor of PBCom Tower at Ayala Avenue in Makati | Photo Courtesy: Facebook/Eldon Tenorio |
Around 1:00 in the morning today, call center agents rode the service elevator of PBCom Tower. Unfortunately, the elevator malfunctioned and it quickly dropped from the 52nd floor to the 30th floor before the emergency brake worked. When they reached the 12th floor, the door refused to open as it went straight to the ground floor.
As soon as the elevator door opened, the passengers were nauseous while some vomited from fright and anxiety.
Makati City Police chief Senior Superintendent Rogelio Simon reported that the victims sustained minor injuries. He said, “There were 28 people aboard the service elevator. That is a ‘service elevator’, it should be used with an operator. However, they still rode it. They just kept pushing buttons there that is why it malfunctioned.”
“Some of them were vomiting upon reaching the ground floor. They were very dizzy and weak after the incident that is why some of them were rushed to nearby hospitals," Simon added.
PBCom had released a statement saying that the elevator exceeded the maximum capacity. They said that the elevator "descended rapidly from the 30th floor. The descent triggered the emergency breaking [sic] system." It said that the elevator was carrying 32 passengers which was over its maximum capacity.
“21 were injured and undergoing treatment in local hospitals. They are being attended to by the building administration for their medical expenses," PBCom stated.
— Sally, The Summit Express
