Church Elevator Entrapment Highlights Need for Replacement

Firefighters were called in early April to a church in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, to rescue a woman from an outdoor lift that failed, trapping the woman inside, Mainline Media News reported on April 7. According to church and fire officials, the unidentified woman, who was described as being in her late 70s and using a walker, became stuck in the lift. The lift takes people unable to use the stairs into the church, and the mechanism failed partway from the ground to the entrance. Crews were able to remove the door from the hinges and free the woman. But, the incident highlights the need for replacement of the lift, which will cost approximately US$35,000 — an amount that church officials say they cannot reach on their own, according to the source.