Fire Department Rescues 2 People Stuck in Caesars Palace Elevator

Two people got stuck in a stalled elevator on the 54th floor of the Caesars Palace after a power outage, prompting the fire department to come and rescue them.

Rescuers Aid Two Guests Stuck in Stalled Casino Elevator

Clark County Fire Department sent over a crew after it received a signal for the two people who got stuck in an elevator in one of the casino’s towers. The elevator stalled after a power outage around midday on Tuesday, trapping two people inside. Fortunately, the fire department reported that the two were not harmed in the ordeal.

Rescuers came within 11 minutes of the signal for the emergency being issued. In a later news release, Assistant Fire Chief Brian O’Neal said that the rescue crew found the elevator several feet below its normal landing level. The team pried open the elevator car doors, secured the elevator to prevent any further movement, and assisted the two individuals in escaping by using a ladder. After the situation was resolved, all fire units were back in service by 12:01 pm.

Do Incidents Like This Happen Often?

Considering how much and how often elevators and other facilities, at tourist hotspots such as Caesars Palace, are used, it should not come as a surprise that, on some rare occasions, things like this might happen. While further details on the incident are not presently available, a few assumptions on why the two people were stuck could be made.

When power fails, elevators are usually designed to halt, usually wherever they are on the shaft. They don’t fall or drop because of mechanical brakes and counterweight systems. Elevator doors are designed to stay locked unless the elevator is level with a floor. This prevents dangerous situations like passengers exiting into the elevator shaft. Only trained personnel (like emergency responders or elevator technicians) can manually open the doors using a special tool called a “door key” or “elevator pick,” which is why the fire department had to be called.

That being said, on very rare occasions, things may turn out much worse, like the case of the Palms casino guest who plunged 22 floors in a malfunctioning casino. While the guest survived, she is currently suing the property.

Fortunately, the two Caesars Palace guests were unharmed in the incident, but it is still unknown if they will decide to also seek compensation from the casino.