Bat Yam Building Residents Fear "Disaster" Amidst Recurring Elevator Malfunctions
Translated & summarized from Channel 13 by baba
Residents of a new building in Bat Yam are living in fear due to elevators that have malfunctioned 154 times in under a year, including one instance where an elevator dropped six floors. The building committee chairman described the situation as a severe safety hazard, warning it will "end in disaster." Elevator and management companies maintain the elevators are safe, citing external inspections, but residents remain unconvinced.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Bat Yam building residents face daily fear from elevators that have dropped multiple floors with passengers.
- Over 154 elevator malfunctions and calls have occurred in the new building in less than a year.
- A resident was terrified after an elevator plummeted from the 11th to the 6th floor.
- Building management and the elevator company claim inspections show the elevators are safe.
- Residents' committee chairman warns the ongoing issues will "end in disaster" if not fundamentally resolved.
Residents of a new apartment building in Bat Yam are experiencing daily fear and a severe safety hazard due to malfunctioning elevators that have been dropping several floors with people inside. The building, recently sold to residents by a contractor, has become a site where elevators repeatedly collapse.
Arik Sagiv, the building committee chairman, described one incident to "HaOlam HaBoker" where a resident "plummeted from the 11th floor to the sixth." He added, "She got out of the elevator terrified, and we called her an ambulance. It was terrible."
Over 154 malfunctions and service calls have been recorded in less than a year, leading to widespread fear among residents who are now avoiding the elevators. Sagiv expressed frustration with the repeated, seemingly ineffective, repair attempts, stating, "They send technicians here left and right."
Electra Elevators stated that the safety mechanism that activates during a stop is intended to protect users, not endanger them. The company commissioned a Ministry of Labor inspector who found the elevators to be operating as required and safe. Electra invited residents to hire their own expert for full cooperation.
Shpunder Pedalon, the building's management company, also reported that external inspectors, including from the Ministry of Labor, confirmed the elevators' safety. They stated that Electra Elevators, responsible for maintenance, is working to resolve the issues to the residents' satisfaction.
Sagiv rejected these official responses, calling them a "disclaimer" and warning that the situation will "end in disaster" if not addressed fundamentally. He stated, "Don't say we didn't say so."