SCDF's elite Dart officers called in to rescue 3 people trapped in lift at Junction 10 mall

Three shoppers out for what they thought was a leisurely trip to Junction 10 shopping mall got more than what they bargained for when they had to be rescued by the elite Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (DART) and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) personnel on Tuesday (April 26).

The trio had found themselves in a tight spot when the lift they were in came to a sudden halt between the second and fourth floor. 

The lift does not serve the third floor and the power supply to the lift could not be restored, said SCDF in a Facebook post on Tuesday evening.

Because of that, rescuers from DART had to be activated to assist in the rescue operation, said SCDF who were called to the scene at 1 Woodlands Road at 5.10pm.

In the post, SCDF described how the DART rescuers utilised a system of pulleys and ropes, which allowed two rescuers to abseil down the lift shaft from the fourth floor. 

"This enabled two rescuers to rappel down the lift shaft, gaining access into the lift through an access hatch. Each trapped person was secured in a rescue harness before being brought out of the lift using a ladder," said SCDF. 

A Power Ascender, a specialised portable battery-operated device, was then used to raise each of the trapped persons to safety, added the agency. 

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Following the rescue, an SCDF ambulance crew checked on the well-being of the passengers and for possible injuries. 

The three passengers subsequently declined to be taken to the hospital for further assessment, said SCDF.

jaelynchin@asiaone.com

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