A woman was trapped inside a lift with a broken emergency call button on a City of London Corporation housing estate. Months later, residents are being told not to use the lifts unless they are carrying a mobile phone.
Incident and Safety Notice
Leaseholder Sukhin Tye became trapped in a lift at the Middlesex Street Estate in February. The emergency call button did not work, and she had to WhatsApp neighbours, who called the Fire Brigade to rescue her. More than five months later, problems with the lifts persist. Safety notices posted in April advise residents to carry mobile phones with signal and provide a number for property services if trapped.
Residents' Concerns
Roger Way, Chair of the Middlesex Street Estate Residents' Association, accused the Corporation of neglecting repairs. He questioned the relevance of the advice for children using lifts to travel between homes and play areas. Ms Tye had previously flagged problems with the lift's door. The Corporation is investing over £300 million to improve safety and sustainability of its housing estates, but residents remain frustrated.
Official Responses
Common Councillor Jason Pritchard raised the incidents with senior officers, calling for lessons to be learned. A Corporation spokesperson said one of six lifts is out of order and will be fixed by the end of the week. Similar lift issues have been reported on other Corporation estates, such as York Way in Islington.
