Ten Shoppers Rescued After Two-Hour Ordeal in Sainsbury’s Lift

A total of ten shoppers were trapped for over two hours in a malfunctioning lift at a Sainsbury’s supermarket in Blackpool on March 15, 2024. The lift reportedly made a loud noise before it abruptly fell and slammed to the ground, causing panic among the passengers.

Jason Redshaw, 53, who was one of the trapped individuals, described the terrifying experience to the BBC. He explained how the emergency bell system, which is typically viewed as a reliable safety feature, failed to function when they needed it most. “As soon as the door closed, we heard this awful grinding, crunching noise as if something was scraping against the side of the elevator,” Redshaw recounted. “Suddenly, we felt as if the ground kind of fell away beneath us, as if we were dropping.”

Redshaw, determined to escape, attempted to pry open the lift doors with a pair of nail clippers. However, after making only a few centimeters of progress, he was met with a brick wall on the other side. Faced with the situation, the trapped shoppers began banging on the doors and screaming for help. Among those stuck were individuals with medical conditions, including a man with a lung condition and another recently diagnosed with heart issues, as well as older shoppers in their 70s.

“The emergency bell was so antiquated that the person on the other end could not hear us,” Redshaw explained. In a desperate effort, one gentleman used a frying pan he had purchased to hit the metal doors, but their cries went unheard.

After about one hour, local firefighters managed to pry the doors open just enough to pass through drinks and chocolate bars to the distressed shoppers. The ordeal concluded around 16:00 when a lift engineer arrived to carry out the rescue, finally freeing the trapped individuals.

Redshaw described the experience as “traumatic,” stating it has made him “very wary” of using lifts in the future. A spokesperson for Sainsbury’s expressed deep regret over the incident, stating, “Our Blackpool store manager is in contact with the customers involved and has explained how sorry we are for their experience.” The spokesperson confirmed that the lift remains closed while a thorough investigation is conducted.

The incident has raised concerns about safety regulations and the reliability of emergency systems in public facilities. As investigations continue, Sainsbury’s is expected to implement measures to prevent similar occurrences in the future.