Trapped in an Elevator for 41 Hours ... - Neatorama

In 1999, Nicholas White took a cigarette break, and then went back up elevator car #30 in New York City's McGraw-Hill building.

Little did he know that he would be trapped in the elevator for the next 41 hours. Here's a condensed look at White's ordeal, as captured by the building's security camera: http://www.newyorker.com/online/video/2008/04/21/080421_elevators - Thanks Elan!

I almost had a panic attack when I saw him peel back the doors the first time and just see a brick wall.

I can't imagine the torture of 41 hours like that. I bet he quit smoking after that.

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Agreed. It looked like he kept his sh*t together pretty well considering the circumstances. Speaking of, he doesn't seem to do any elimination of bodily wastes.
Interesting

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It's a sign from the Elevator Gods! Stop smoking! O_o

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I doubt he stopped smoking, but he might have tried to sue his employer for not letting him smoke at his sad little cubicle.

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Dan - i think i saw him pee in the corner a couple of times. that would have been horrible.

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It must have been over a weekend or something, still kind of weird no one rescued him, he just ended up walking out of the elevator.

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I was under the impression he was peeing on the wall each time he opened the doors. Poor guy.

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Yeah he definatly took a leak in the corner.

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No cellphone?

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He peed on the wall whenever he opened the door.

It's all explained in the article http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/04/21/080421fa_fact_paumgarten

in between boring facts about elevators

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The New Yorker article that goes with that video is worth a read. It is one of the best articles that I have read in a while. Who knew elevators were so fascinating?

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Did he have to listen to elevator music all that time?? If so, I hope it wasn't Kenny G.

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That was intense! Seeing him walk out the door like that was like seeing him die. He just disappeared.

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Kinda makes me sad that he wasn't able to be all James Bondy and climb out the top of it. Any time I go into an elevator, I check to see which one of the overhead panels could be the hatch out!

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Holy crap that was the most painful thing I have ever watched!

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I like the eerie 'out of order' sign at the end. Next time I see such a sign, I'll wonder if there has been a guy stuck in there for hours...

Make sure you read the last 2 paragraphs of Will's link. Amazing story inside an amazing story.

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Oh no! It's the stairs for me. For a long time to come.

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Having spent 2 hours in a frozen elevator, I can't imagine the ordeal this poor chap went through. I did have to endure two a-hole lawyers threatening to sue so-and-so the entire time, but 41 hours? He deserves a medal.

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Does anyone know the name of that song that is playing in the video?

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That completely nauseated me, what absolute hell.

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Terrible! & Anxiety producing!
Poor guy...but he seemed to not freak out. I would have been pounding on the walls kicking and screaming. lol

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Couldn't he have tried to set off the fire alarm? I mean, he must of had some matches or a lighter. Why didn't he hold it up to the smoke detector?

He probably didn't think of it until after he got off the elevator and had a smoke.

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I was waiting for him to get naked and run around like a madman - you know, go all Lord of the Flies.

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Gosh, that must have been horrible.
Id probably curl up and cry int he corner.

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And no masturbate???.

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So no one actually looks at the security camera feed when it is live? Do they film the elevators and then just wait for Lenny Briscoe to show up and ask for the tapes after someone is murdered?

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That was horrible. As a confirmed claustrophobe (I jumped out of an elevater just last night when someone came up at the last minute and jammed himself in) that was torture to watch. I have no idea how he survived 41 hours.

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I wonder if he was wearing a watch. Being there for 41 hours and not knowing how much time had elapsed would have been enough for me to go nuts.

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i would have smoked in there until I set off a fire alarm. that ought to bring some help.

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Can you imagine how dehydrated you would be after nearly 2 days without water?

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O.o Poor guy.

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Poor guy.. :(

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Anyone knows the name of the song please??

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Man... I've only gotten stuck in elevators a few times (thank you, East Coast institution which shall remain nameless but managed to spend $27 million on a new staircase), but the longest I ever got stuck was still under an hour. Fortunately, I was just coming back up from the cafeteria where I had been studying, so I sat in the elevator, ate cookies and read until someone came and rescued me. :)

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So many questions above can be answered by the article Will was good enough to post:

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/04/21/080421fa_fact_paumgarten

Poor guy - 2 days in an elevator ruined his life.

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I cant believe this...
Seeing his pull back the doors and see a brick wall was really sad...I dont think i could have made it...

Oh and yeah anyone know the song?

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