Mumbai lift plunge leaves 14 trapped for nearly three hours, including four children

A lift carrying 14 people, including four children, suddenly dropped several floors in a Mumbai building, leaving everyone trapped inside for nearly three hours, India Today reported.

The incident took place at the Mass Metropolis building in Mumbai's Nehru Nagar area after a birthday celebration on the 14th floor. The group had boarded the lift to go downstairs after the party when it malfunctioned during the descent.

The lift was moving normally until it reached the sixth floor. It then gave a sudden jolt and began dropping rapidly, plunging several floors before coming to a halt just above the ground floor.

The sudden fall caused panic inside the cabin. Passengers screamed and fell against one another as the lift dropped.

However, their ordeal did not end after the lift stopped.

14 people trapped inside lift

The passengers remained locked inside the lift and activated the emergency alarm to call for help. People outside the cabin also tried to open the doors, but their attempts were unsuccessful.

Police and fire officials were alerted as the passengers remained trapped inside.

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Firefighters reached the building and began a rescue operation. They used cutters and hydraulic equipment to gain access to the lift and free the passengers.

The operation continued for nearly three hours before the rescue team managed to bring all 14 people out.

The passengers were visibly shaken after being rescued. The four children inside the lift were also brought out safely.

Police probe cause of lift malfunction

Police have launched an investigation into what caused the lift to suddenly plunge.

One of the aspects being examined is whether the lift was carrying passengers beyond its permitted capacity. Police are also expected to examine the lift's passenger and weight capacity, maintenance records, safety audits and other technical aspects.

It is not yet clear whether overloading, a maintenance lapse or a technical fault caused the incident.

The exact cause of the lift malfunction will be established after the investigation