How to Survive a Lift Fire or Power Failure

1. Why You Must Know This
High-rises are India’s urban future — but lifts are often used even during fires. In the Delhi Anaj Mandi fire (2019), victims died trapped in lifts filled with smoke. Lifts fail during fires because power cuts, smoke infiltration, and heat expansion turn them into death chambers.

2. Step-by-Step Survival During Lift Fire/Failure

• If fire breaks out in building:
  • Never use lifts. Always take stairs.
  • Lifts may lose power or stop at fire-affected floors.
• If stuck in lift due to failure:
  • Stay calm. Panic increases suffocation.
  • Press emergency button, call security using intercom/phone.
  • Signal by banging doors or shouting at intervals.
  • Sit down to conserve oxygen.
  • Do not try to force doors open between floors.

3. Visual Diagram Suggestion
❌ Lift, ✅ stairs as escape.

4. Common Mistakes to Avoid
❌ Using lift as shortcut during fire evacuation.
❌ Forcing open doors between floors — fatal falls happen.
❌ Panicking — it speeds up oxygen loss.

5. Where Should This Be Practiced?
Every high-rise RWA should conduct evacuation drills highlighting “Stairs Only During Fire.”

6. What You Can Do Today
✔ Learn location of staircases in your building.
✔ Carry a torch and whistle on keychains.
✔ Ask management if lifts have fire-rated doors and emergency power.

7. Related Case
“Delhi Anaj Mandi fire (2019) killed 43 people — several were found trapped in lifts, overcome by smoke.”

8. Final Words
“Lifts are convenience machines, not escape routes. In a fire — trust your legs, not the lift.”