I guess folks didn't read the article

He got stuck LATE on a Friday night (rescued on Sunday)

It was an EXPRESS elevator - He opened the doot - he was stuck at about the 13th floor - next exit below - 1st floor, next above - 40th.

NYC law - the roof hatch is supposed to be bolted closed - from OUTSIDE - so that you CAN'T open it - but a rescue team can

He did about all he could do - ring the alarm bell, and sit tight

Ok, given that the guy did all that he could do, why still did he have to wait 40+ hours to get out?

Now THAT is a darned good question - probably a combination of apathetic security guards and other things

This guy is the perfect example of why you shouldn't stay at work past regular business hours. If your company/building can't afford to have security guards 24/7, they don't need people in the building. If they can't afford security guards, they can't afford overtime.

Last year, a man was stuck in an elevator for THREE DAYS. He made contact with security via the phone, but they couldn't understand what he was saying (didn't speak English). So, NATURALLY, they couldn't be bothered to check it out. One person, calling from an elevator for a whole day should have raised some questions.

Try not to let your life depend on stupid people. The odds are bad because there are so many of them.

Sue

Take the stairs.

Without knowing the contents of his pockets, yes. Even keys would make progress against cinderblocks.

I think there might have been a small controlled smoldering fire in a corner of my elevator car, enuff to trip a fire/smoke alarm after about 12 hours.

I was actually stuck in an elevator about 20 years ago for almost 5 hours. There was a phone in the elevator that went to a answering service. I tried to sleep, but they kept calling to make sure I was ok every 15 minutes.

Is there maybe a way to set off the fire alarm, without smothering yourself of course? That ought to get the attention of someone a little more interested then a security guard.

"...security...but they couldn't understand what he was saying (didn't speak English)..."

Not wanting to be zapped, no comment...

Hmm. Many years ago in the early 70s I was stuck in an elevator and no one responded.

I was just out on leave from the army and if you've ever been in the military you know that when you are 20 and on leave for a couple of days you are just NOT going to wait around in an elevator!

I was in uniform and had a lot of kit with me so I forced the door open and found I was in between floors but could see the bottom of the floor above and the top of the floor beneath.

So I swung down to the floor below thinking that swinging down was quicker than climbing up and I did think that it would not be nice if the lift moved and I got cut in half so wanted to get it over fast. A woman waiting for the lift was very shocked that somone would come out that way.

Nowadays, I'd just sit quietly in the lift I suppose like the old man I am.