Shocking Elevator Plunge in Lisbon: Man Falls 7 Floors and Narrowly Escapes Death!

A Terrifying Incident in Telheiras

A 38-year-old man suffered serious injuries after falling into the elevator shaft of a municipal building in Telheiras, Lisbon. The victim was saved by quick-thinking neighbors who prevented the elevator cabin from crushing him.

The Accident Details

The incident occurred around 7:00 PM on Thursday at a building on Rua Frei Joaquim da Santa Rosa de Viterbo. The man left his home on the 7th floor and opened the elevator door, but the cabin was not in place, causing him to fall immediately. He managed to grab onto the elevator cables, which cushioned his fall into the shaft.

Meanwhile, the elevator cabin, which was above the 7th floor at the time, began to descend. His cries for help alerted witnesses, who cut off the electricity to the elevator, averting a greater tragedy.

Emergency Response and Aftermath

The INEM (National Institute of Medical Emergency) was called to assist the injured man, who was transported to Santa Maria Hospital. According to family members, he remained hospitalized on Friday but was in stable condition.

With this elevator out of service, the nine-story building was left without elevators (it has two) for several hours. Gebalis, the municipal social housing company, stated that the second elevator, which had been stopped, underwent a recent modernization and was put back into operation by technicians on Friday afternoon.

Company Response and Past Incidents

Gebalis has been in contact with the victim's family and is cooperating with the investigation. The company promised an expert assessment of the accident elevator, but as of Friday evening, it had not yet taken place.

In a related note, in January of this year, an 83-year-old woman died from an apparent heart attack after being forced to climb seven flights of stairs in a building in Marvila, Lisbon, due to both elevators being out of order.