Parents’ nightmare as toddler disappears into elevator well in Voronezh, Russia
WARNING DISTRESSING SCENES.
The moment a two-year-old boy plunged into an open elevator shaft in front of his parents has been captured on CCTV.
As the family stood waiting for the lift, the child can be seen pressing against a covering that his parents assumed was solid, before he disappeared into the black hole in the Russian apartment complex..
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.His father Alexey did not hesitate and dived in after his son, Matvey, with his mother running to assist at the apartment’s tower lift in Voronezh.
The images show the family in the lobby, and as the boy walks over to the lift door and pushes against it the panel gives way and he falls into the void.
Alexey then immediately squeezes through the lift gap to reach his son, fearful the lift may be coming down after they had pressed the button.
His mother was able to shine a torch so her husband could locate the boy and soon after he was able to hoist him back onto the lobby floor to his mother.
The drop was at least six feet down and by some miracle avoided metal spikes at the base of the lift shaft according to The Sun.
Hero neighbours heard the screams and held the lift at the third floor, preventing it from lowering and crushing the pair.
“We rushed to hospital and thank God our child is fine,” Alexey said.
“He got away with just a fright and a few bruises on his head and back.
“But the situation is terrifying.”
“I immediately jumped after him. We were lucky that the neighbours heard the noise, came out, and stopped the lift so it wouldn’t go further.
“My son was saved by a miracle — he fell safely and didn’t land on the rebar lying at the bottom of the shaft.”
The Russian Investigative Committee, which probes serious crimes, has opened a probe.
“The lifts in our new building, which was put into operation just over a year ago, are simply awful,” Alexey said.
“Over the entire year, both of them have worked for only about two months in total.
“And when they do work, it’s frightening to ride them — there’s noise, creaking, and grinding.
“A new lift shouldn’t operate like that.”
