Extreme heat, concrete dust and workers trapped in an elevator more than 100 feet off the ground.
That's what Papillion firefighters faced when they were called by Louisville personnel to assist with three men trapped in an elevated tower, KETV reported.
The local fire department was requested after the initial calls went to the employees' supervisor, maintenance, and the elevator company. That delay resulted in the workers being stuck for hours, which had firefighters concerned.
The staff had managed to get them water. However, they remained in the sweltering heat.
"They were ready to get out of the elevator. I can only imagine being basically in an oven for three hours,” Papillion Capt. Clayton Kulhanek said.
Acting Battalion Chief Thomas Abe got his crews into position to navigate the elevator shaft.
“This is one of the first times I’ve been on a call where we had to use a rope rescue equipment to repel down and then lift them out of the elevator.
Kulhanek and other firefighters set up a system to get to the men, but the conditions proved to be an immediate issue.
Only one firefighter was able to get into the top of the elevator to help them get into harnesses to be hoisted out.
“It’s really unique. You can't prepare for everything. And I would say an elevator full of concrete dust on a hundred-degree day. You're not going to be able to train for that,” Kulhanek said.
