Six students were stuck in an elevator in Packard Laboratory for about two hours Monday night, said Jason Sadler, ’18, who was in the elevator. The students were freed from the elevator shortly after 10 p.m., said Zach Port, ’17, another student in the elevator.
Vinny Tung, ’16, Julie Metkus, ’17, Ellen Schaaf, ’16, Julian Traphagan, ’18, Sadler and Port used the emergency phone in the elevator to call for help when they realized the elevator was not moving.
A group of six students was stuck in an elevator in Packard Laboratory on Monday, March 7, 2016. The Bethlehem Fire Department and Lehigh University Police Department responded to the scene after the students used the emergency phone to call for help. (Courtesy of Zach Port)
A dispatcher for the Lehigh University Police Department confirmed the department responded to the scene. Sadler said the group ordered pizza for the police officers and firefighters who responded because they were grateful for their assistance.
The Bethlehem Fire Department received a call around 8:45 p.m., said a firefighter on scene who declined to give his name because he is unauthorized to speak to the media.
The elevator was stuck between floors with people on it, the firefighter said. He said there was nothing that could be done at the time and was waiting for maintenance.
Sadler said he was told the elevator company was called to lower the elevator manually because resetting the breaker and opening and closing the door did not move the elevator.
The group passed time by watching part of “Devil,” which is a movie about a group of people who are stuck in an elevator with the devil. Sadler said the atmosphere in the elevator was “a little bit of hysteria, but mostly laughter.”
Additional reporting provided by Roshan Giyanani, ’19.
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