Elevator with 7 occupants plunges down 3 floors in Keelung high rise

Elevator with 7 occupants plunges down 3 floors in Keelung high rise

2026-09-28

A terrifying elevator accident trapped a family of seven inside a building in Keelung on Sunday afternoon. The family was riding up to the 26th floor of a hotel when the elevator suddenly plunged downward, not once, not twice, but three times, before finally stopping between the eighth and ninth floors. They were trapped for nearly an hour before firefighters arrived, cut the power, and rescued all seven passengers. Let’s hear more.

- Is anyone feeling unwell?
- Me. I can’t breathe well.

Lu Yu-nan
Fire fighter
We worked with staff to shut the power and then used the elevator locks to keep the inner and outer doors open while we freed all seven occupants.

Shih Wei-cheng
Keelung City Councilor (DPP)
The government should properly check the inspection records of elevators at high rises. It should also closely monitor maintenance companies and check their work piece by piece. The city should also make sure our firefighters have adequate equipment for rescues at tall buildings.

The elevator cabin was stuck about 2m below the 9th floor, making for a challenging rescue operation. They had to put plastic chairs inside the cabin, so that the passengers could be hoisted up onto the floor one by one. The building’s management gave each occupant NT$600 in compensation, but they still took the matter to a local city councilor. The councilor urged the government to do more to strengthen elevator safety, and to provide specialized equipment so that firefighters can carry out rescues.

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