Post by IAMCAPER on Dec 27, 2006 10:06:50 GMT -4
GLACE BAY — The stairs or elevator? Jeanette Shaw no longer asks herself this question.
Shaw, 72, a resident of the seniors’ complex at 55 Minto St., Glace Bay, spent more than an hour trapped in the elevator, following a power outage Saturday.
“It was a terrible experience,” Shaw said.
“I was in there banging, kicking, pushing a bell and crying, no one could hear me.”
Shaw arrived home from shopping at about 4:10 p.m. She lives on the main floor and rarely uses the elevator, but had purchased a few items for another tenant and was making the delivery.
“I pushed the button, then heard a loud clunk. It was terrifying. Thank God at least the emergency light came on.”
She began banging for help. She tried to access the emergency phone in the elevator.
“I tried banging, pushing and puling and I couldn’t get the . . . phone to open.”
Moments late she heard Don Vaters voice. Vaters’ mother lives in the building.
“He was bring her home after triple bypass surgery in Halifax.”
After discovering Shaw was stuck in the elevator, he called 911.
The next voice she heard was Cape Breotn Regional Police Const. Arnold MacKinnon, who is also chief of the Glace Bay Volunteer Fire Department.
“He along with Const. Dale MacLean were so nice, they stayed there and kept talking to me through it all.”
When they used the Jaws of Life they told Shaw to turn around and cover her face.
“The first thing Arnold MacKinnon did was give me a big hug.”
The building is owned by the Cape Breton Island Housing Authority. Officials were unable to be reached because of the holidays.
“The elevator was halfway between the floors when it got caught,” said MacKinnon, who added they were unable to locate an elevator key.
He said the trapped woman was doing fine but is a diabetic and after awhile wasn’t feeling well.
“We then decided to get the Jaws of Life to remove the door.”
Tenants of the building were concerned there wasn’t an elevator key.
Catherine Niemczyk’s apartment is next door to the elevator in question.
“I heard the kicking at the door. I thought it was kids at first.”
Margaret Murphy, spokesperson for Nova Scotia Power, said the power outage Saturday lasted from about 4-5:40 p.m. The outage was caused by damage to overhead equipment, affecting residents in a number of communities including Port Morien, Glace Bay, Donkin and Dominion.
Shaw, 72, a resident of the seniors’ complex at 55 Minto St., Glace Bay, spent more than an hour trapped in the elevator, following a power outage Saturday.
“It was a terrible experience,” Shaw said.
“I was in there banging, kicking, pushing a bell and crying, no one could hear me.”
Shaw arrived home from shopping at about 4:10 p.m. She lives on the main floor and rarely uses the elevator, but had purchased a few items for another tenant and was making the delivery.
“I pushed the button, then heard a loud clunk. It was terrifying. Thank God at least the emergency light came on.”
She began banging for help. She tried to access the emergency phone in the elevator.
“I tried banging, pushing and puling and I couldn’t get the . . . phone to open.”
Moments late she heard Don Vaters voice. Vaters’ mother lives in the building.
“He was bring her home after triple bypass surgery in Halifax.”
After discovering Shaw was stuck in the elevator, he called 911.
The next voice she heard was Cape Breotn Regional Police Const. Arnold MacKinnon, who is also chief of the Glace Bay Volunteer Fire Department.
“He along with Const. Dale MacLean were so nice, they stayed there and kept talking to me through it all.”
When they used the Jaws of Life they told Shaw to turn around and cover her face.
“The first thing Arnold MacKinnon did was give me a big hug.”
The building is owned by the Cape Breton Island Housing Authority. Officials were unable to be reached because of the holidays.
“The elevator was halfway between the floors when it got caught,” said MacKinnon, who added they were unable to locate an elevator key.
He said the trapped woman was doing fine but is a diabetic and after awhile wasn’t feeling well.
“We then decided to get the Jaws of Life to remove the door.”
Tenants of the building were concerned there wasn’t an elevator key.
Catherine Niemczyk’s apartment is next door to the elevator in question.
“I heard the kicking at the door. I thought it was kids at first.”
Margaret Murphy, spokesperson for Nova Scotia Power, said the power outage Saturday lasted from about 4-5:40 p.m. The outage was caused by damage to overhead equipment, affecting residents in a number of communities including Port Morien, Glace Bay, Donkin and Dominion.