Let’s be honest: We’re all guilty of ignoring our doctors’ advice to take the stairs way more often than we do. Because no one expects taking the elevator to be the last decision they ever make. But sometimes that’s exactly what it turns out to be. And we’re talking fireballs, fatal injuries, crushed bones and claustrophobic nightmares. These brave souls learned the hard way that ditching the stairs is not always the easy option. So check out this terrifying collection of elevator death and dismemberment stories. It’ll make your stomach drop faster than a quick descent from the top of a high-rise building.
Counting Error
Back in 2008, 26 high school cheerleaders attending a cheerleading camp at the University of Texas decided to see if they could all cram into an elevator at Jester Residence Hall. Far exceeding the elevator’s 15-person capacity, the elevator stalled en route from the fourth to the first floor and emergency responders were forced to assess the scene. After nearly a half hour of work, the girls were safely rescued from the cramped elevator carriage.