2 Girls, 9, Trapped in Elevator for Nearly 2 Hours as Security Ignored Pleas for Help

Two 9-year-old girls were trapped inside a residential elevator for nearly two hours on May 23, repeatedly pressing the emergency button and begging for help — only to be told by a security guard to stop "playing with the elevator," according to a report by Zhejiang Television on May 29.

The incident took place at the Xirui Jiangnan residential compound in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. A father surnamed Zhang said his daughter and another girl entered the elevator around 5:16pm. The lift malfunctioned, leaving them stuck between the 4th and 5th floors for more than two hours.

When the children failed to return home, parents began searching. Around 7pm, the mothers went to the security control room to check surveillance footage. Zhang then searched the underground garage and eventually found the stalled elevator. "I knocked on the door and heard a weak response from my child," he said.

Neither girl had a phone. After confirming the children were inside, Zhang said he alerted property management. Elevator maintenance workers arrived and freed the girls.

"The children told us they had been calling for help for over two hours," Zhang said. "Someone in the control room answered, but they didn't come to save them. That's when we realized how serious this was."

The next day, the mothers reviewed surveillance footage. Although the video had no sound, it showed the girls pressing the emergency button continuously while trapped.

Luan, mother of the other girl, said the children pressed the button 35 to 50 times without a break over the two hours. "What infuriates me most is that after dozens of distress calls, a guard told them, 'Stop playing with the elevator.' The children even said, 'If you can't save us, please call 119,'" Luan said, her voice breaking.

"Both girls were soaked in sweat. My daughter's friend, who is physically weaker, was lying down inside the elevator," she added.

The property management company said surveillance showed staff answered three calls during the incident. "Due to poor signal and the handset not being properly returned to its cradle after use, subsequent distress signals failed to reach the control center, delaying rescue," the company said.

The firm apologized for this incident and took full management responsibility. The directly responsible employee has been dismissed.

The children's health remains under observation, with further medical checks pending.