Sticky Heights

Terrified tourists were left suspended 1,600 feet above the ground in the world’s tallest building, Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, when its elevator broke. “A group of 15 passengers were stuck for 45 minutes after it suddenly stopped just below the 124th floor observation deck seconds after departing. Back on the viewing level of the Burj Khalifa tower, which was suddenly closed to the public afterwards, visitors heard a crash and the sound of breaking glass. Dust then billowed back into the room through the small gaps in the lift shaft of the 2,717ft building with 206 floors. Eventually, those trapped were rescued after staff dropped a ladder in, prised open the lift doors and helped them to climb out to the observation deck. About 60 tourists who had heard the incident were left on the deck without explanation as security guards said that nothing was wrong. They were eventually joined by hysterical and dazed passengers from a second lift, who had been descending the tower when the incident occurred in the adjacent shaft.”