Six escape after lift plunges down popular Chicago skyscraper
Six people, including two tourists, survived when a lift in one of Chicago’s tallest skyscrapers plunged 84 floors.
The group, which also included a pregnant woman, had left the Signature Room restaurant on the 95th floor of the former John Hancock Tower and entered an express lift to take them to the bottom of the building.
However, two cables on the top of the lift snapped, sending the lift plunging to between the 11th and 12th floors, where it was left dangling.
It took firefighters two hours to get to the group. As there were few openings because it was an express lift, they were forced to drill through a concrete wall.
When they reached the lift, firefighters were able to prise open the doors and pull out members of the group, none of whom required hospital treatment.
The building also houses the 360 CHICAGO observation deck, a popular tourist attraction on the 94th floor, which tilts visitors 1000 feet over Michigan Avenue. A notice on its website today warns queues will be longer than usual due to ‘elevator inspections and maintenance work’.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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