WATCH: Man is nearly crushed to death after elevator shaft suddenly shoots up
A man narrowly escaped death on Tuesday when the elevator at his apartment complex in India suddenly shot upwards as he was exiting.
Vatsalbhai Pancha appeared to be having a rough day as he paced inside the lift at the Gujarat Housing Board residential complex in Valsad, India. CCTV footage obtained by The Sun shows him bracing both hands against the elevator doors—a nervous habit that may have ultimately saved his life.
As the elevator reached his floor, Pancha managed to step only one foot out before the lift surged upwards. He slammed his head against the ceiling and was knocked downward—landing safely outside the elevator that nearly crushed him. The doors remained partially open during the rapid ascent, according to the CCTV footage.
Authorities attributed the malfunction to an electrical issue. Pancha sustained internal injuries from the incident. Residents across multiple floors reported hearing a loud crash when the elevator malfunctioned. Concerned neighbors rushed to the scene and found Pancha collapsed near the elevator bank, assisting him immediately.
Sabarmati Building Chairman Himati Roy said technicians had addressed minor issues with the elevator’s light and fan just days before the accident. A building spokesperson added that no major complaints about the elevator had been reported prior to Tuesday.
In a similar incident overseas, Italian professional golfer Andrea Pavan was seriously injured a week earlier during the Investec South African Open Championship. Pavan fell three stories down an elevator shaft after the doors opened at his floor while the elevator car itself wasn’t there. He underwent surgery on his shoulder and back and noted he faces “a lot of rehab and hard work” in the coming months.
About Post Author
