13 people rescued from supermarket lift

Proving their mettle once again, the personnel attached to the fire and emergency services wing of the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) rescued 13 people including an 88-year-old senior citizen and two toddlers aged one and three years who were stuck in the elevator of a supermarket in Bhayandar on Saturday evening. The elevator stopped between the ground and first floor af ter encountering technical glitches.

According to chief fire officerPrakash Borade the incident was reported from D-Mart near Maxus Mall in Bhayandar (west) at 7:40 pm. Upon receiving the call, the fire brigade immediately reached the spot and started the rescue operation which lasted for more than two and half hours. “Lef t with no other option, our team led by sub-station officer- Sadanand Patil had to enter the duct and cut open the roof of the elevator cabin with an electric cutter. All 13 people were brought out safely,” said Borade. Being a Sunday, the supermarket was crowded. However, the lif t did not malfunction due to excessive weight as it has a capacity to accommodate 18 people.