Cable break caused fatal elevator accident: Report

A cable break was responsible for an elevator accident in the Willemswerf building in Rotterdam in which one man was killed and another critically injured on Wednesday. According to the police, the cable connecting the counterweight broke and the lift shot upwards, with disastrous consequences, RTV Rijnmond reports.

The fire department is less certain about the cause. "It's really a mystery how this could have happened." Arie Hellewegen of safety office Veiligheidsregio Rotterdam-Rijnmond said to the broadcaster. "If the counterweight came loose, the lift would fall, hit a trap and get stuck. But in this case the lift went up at high speed."

The elevator got stuck between the 17th and 18th floor of the building. Firefighters had to use special equipment to get to the people inside. A 54-year-old man from Rotterdam was killed. His 35-year-old colleague from Krimpen aan de Lek was critically injured. Both worked for a subcontractor in the building.

The police, fire department and the Social Affairs and Employment Inspectorate are investigating what happened. All elevators in the Willemswerf building were disabled.