Five trapped in Kaunas lift after motor catches fire

Five people were trapped in a lift at an apartment building in Kaunas after its motor caught fire on Friday evening, LRT reported, citing the Kaunas Fire and Rescue Board.

Emergency services received the report at 8:21 p.m. on July 31. The caller said that five people were stuck in a lift on Baltų Avenue and that there was a smell of smoke.

Firefighters found the five people trapped on the building’s first floor. They freed them using a crowbar and spreaders. A minor girl was handed over to emergency medical workers and taken to a medical facility for examination after complaining of a headache.

Smoke was coming from the lift shaft, and firefighters used about 300 litres of water to extinguish the fire. A strong smell of burning was detected on the building’s ninth floor. The stairwell was ventilated after firefighters opened the door leading to the roof.

An emergency lift service found that the lift motor had burned out. The lift was closed and cordoned off with STOP tape.