Kolkata Family Endures Lift Nightmare: Father Dies in Tragic Accident
In a harrowing incident in Kolkata, a family of three experienced a life-threatening ordeal when a lift malfunctioned, resulting in the death of the father and leaving his wife and son traumatized. The event unfolded in a residential building, highlighting severe safety concerns with elevator systems in urban areas.
Trapped in a Narrow Space
Arup Banerjee, his wife Sonali, and their three-year-old son Ayush found themselves in a perilous situation as they attempted to exit a faulty lift. The elevator door was partially open, and they squeezed onto a narrow strip of floor measuring no more than 4 feet by 1 foot. Their backs were pressed against the ajar lift door, while their faces were wedged against a collapsible gate installed just outside.
Suddenly, the lift began to move upwards without warning. Sonali and Ayush, unable to maintain their balance on the precarious ledge, fell into the dark shaft below. Meanwhile, Arup was dragged upwards as the lift ascended, with half of his body trapped in the gap between the doors.
Desperate Struggle for Survival
Recounting the horror to ABP Ananda, Sonali described how she feared the lift would crush her and her young son. With quick thinking, she lifted Ayush to help him regain his footing and instructed him to hold onto the collapsible gate until rescue arrived. However, before help could come, Arup's nearly lifeless body crashed down into the shaft, landing on Sonali.
"The lift kept going up and down before it finally stopped at the pitch-dark basement," Sonali, a dengue worker with South Dum Dum Municipality, told the TV channel. "The lift door opened on its own, but only partially, creating a narrow space that we tried to escape through."
Final Moments and Aftermath
The family had initially wriggled out of the elevator, with Arup still partially inside. He suggested waiting outside for assistance, but the lift started moving again autonomously, dragging him up. As it ascended, Sonali and Ayush lost their balance and fell into the shaft. The lift then stopped briefly, and Arup fell into the pit, covered in blood but still alive and panting.
Sonali recalled, "I reminded my son to hold the collapsible grille tightly, thinking that if anything happened to us, someone would rescue him." The incident has sparked outrage and calls for improved elevator safety standards in Kolkata, with authorities investigating the malfunction.
This tragedy underscores the urgent need for regular maintenance and stricter regulations for lifts in residential and public buildings to prevent such accidents in the future.
