Ann Arbor, MI – A Michigan Medicine employee was rescued unharmed Sunday after being trapped inside an elevator at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor.
According to the Ann Arbor Fire Department (AAFD), the elevator became stuck about 30 feet below the 8th floor inside a “blind hoistway,” which provides no landing access between the 4th and 8th floors. The car’s service brake had locked, preventing crews from lowering it as part of a standard rescue.
Fire officials considered two options: breaching a hospital wall—which would have caused significant structural damage—or performing a rope rescue. Crews chose the latter.
Firefighters secured the elevator’s energy systems before descending to the car. They placed the employee in a safety harness and lifted them to the 8th floor using a rope system. The rescue was completed without injury.
“The City of Ann Arbor is fortunate to have highly trained professionals ready to respond to these complex incidents,” the department said in a statement, noting that vertical growth in the city increases the need for specialized rescues.
The University of Michigan’s Division of Public Safety and Security assisted on scene, along with hospital facilities staff. Fire officials added that the elevator’s safety mechanisms functioned as designed and there was no risk of the car falling.
