13 people trapped inside UP mall lift for 30 minutes, woman falls unconscious

A lift at a mall in Bareilly trapped 13 people for about 30 minutes, and a woman fainted during the ordeal. The incident has raised questions about the mall's safety measures and emergency response.

In Short

• Teenager lost consciousness as panic spread inside stalled lift
• Emergency helpline reportedly failed; security response drew criticism
• Police launched investigation into alleged safety and technical lapses

Panic struck City Centre LA Mall in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly after 13 people, including women and children, got trapped inside a lift for more than 30 minutes following a power outage on Sunday night. The incident, which could have turned serious, has raised concerns over emergency preparedness and safety arrangements at the mall.

According to officials, the incident occurred around 10 pm in the Civil Lines area when a group of moviegoers boarded the lift. During the ride, a power failure caused the lift to stop between floors, leaving all passengers stranded inside.

As temperatures and humidity rose inside the enclosed space, panic spread among those trapped.

Children reportedly became distressed while repeated calls to the emergency helpline number displayed inside the lift allegedly went unanswered.

Security staff were also not immediately available, leading to anger among occupants and their families over the handling of the situation.

During the ordeal, 17-year-old Shalini, a resident of Biharipur, reportedly lost consciousness due to panic and suffocation-like conditions.

Witnesses said people trapped inside eventually started forcing the lift door open in an attempt to escape. Individuals outside the lift and mall personnel later joined rescue efforts.

After more than half an hour, the lift doors were opened and all occupants were evacuated safely. The teenager’s condition was stabilised soon after she was brought out.

Police reached the mall and recorded statements from those involved. Authorities said further action would depend on the filing of a formal complaint.

SP City Bareilly Manush Pareek said police had responded to information regarding the incident and initiated preliminary inquiries.

Circle Officer (First) Ashutosh Shivam said, "Information was received at night that 12 to 13 individuals were trapped inside the lift at City Center Mall. A team of technical staff was dispatched. They managed to open the door and safely evacuate everyone”.

“Following discussions with the technical team and a review of CCTV footage, it was determined that the situation arose because the lift's sensors stopped functioning due to a power outage. Order prevails at the scene, and the technical aspects of the incident are being investigated.”

According to police, mall management stated that while the generator was being switched on, someone inside the lift kicked the door, which allegedly caused the sensor system to stop functioning.

An investigation into the incident is underway.

- Ends
Inputs by Krishna Gopal Raj