Several students had plenty of time to practice their “elevator pitches” for future internships after a Stimson College elevator stopped between floors Wednesday night, trapping nine students inside.
“The elevator stopped and the doors just didn’t open,” Jennifer Stahl, a senior marine biology major said. Stahl was inside of the elevator when the incident occurred. She was attempting to walk some of her friends back to their dorm rooms on the third floor of the residence hall.
After a few minutes, the group pressed the emergency button on the panel and called the police from their cellphones. “It took longer than expected” for help to arrive said Stahl recalling that she could see the condensation in the elevator.
The girls called for help a second time 15 minutes after their first call, said Stahl. Finally, the girls heard the voices of the university police on the other side of the closed elevator doors.
Firefighters from Stony Brook Fire Department, along with EMT’s from Stony Brook Volunteer Ambulance Corps also arrived at the Roosevelt Quad to free the students after the an unknown malfunction had occurred.
According to her texts and calls to friends, Jennifer estimates that she entered the elevator around 8:40 p.m. and was rescued around 9:15 p.m., when she placed a call to her mother.
One student was seen being transported to Stony Brook University Hospital by Stony Brook Fire Department’s ambulance for an unknown medical condition. Another girl was also taken to the hospital, Stahl said.
The incident is causing some students to think twice about taking the elevators on campus.
“I’ll just be taking the the stairs for the next couple of days,” Andrea Persaud, 19, who lives in Stimson said. “I guess I’ll just be taking the stairs,” agreed Emily Doherty, 20, who also lives in Stimson.
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