ISLAMABAD: A distressing incident unfolded at Liaquat University Hospital (LUH) in Hyderabad on Sunday, when four individuals were trapped inside a malfunctioning elevator for nearly two hours—alongside the body of a deceased relative.
The deceased, Atta Muhammad Soomro, had passed away in an accident. His family was transporting his body from the surgical ICU building to the ground floor when the lift abruptly stopped functioning.
Hospital management initially claimed the situation was resolved within 23 minutes.
However, eyewitnesses and those stuck inside disputed the claim, saying it took close to two hours before they were rescued.
During the ordeal, those inside the elevator knocked on the doors and made frantic phone calls to family members and friends, who quickly gathered outside the hospital in panic.
Technical Failures and Delayed Response
Medical staff attempted several times to open the elevator but were unsuccessful until LUH’s technical team arrived.
Ultimately, the doors had to be forcibly broken open to rescue the trapped individuals.
An official from the hospital, speaking anonymously, noted that the elevator’s emergency key should have been readily available to the technical staff but wasn’t.
This delay highlighted serious gaps in emergency preparedness and response procedures within the hospital infrastructure.
Investigation and Accountability
In response, LUH administration has formed an inquiry committee to investigate the breakdown and the delayed rescue.
The company responsible for installing and maintaining the elevator has also been called in for a technical inspection.
As the largest public sector teaching hospital in Hyderabad—with an extension in Jamshoro—LUH faces renewed scrutiny over patient and public safety standards following the incident.
