Dad's Adventure

Thursday afternoon about 1:30 I was unpacking maps to take upstairs to install in the classrooms of the new school. I loaded ten maps onto a handtruck and rolled them to the elevator and pushed the button. The door opened and I rolled the handtruck in diagonally with the maps blocking the door slightly. I stepped inside, lifted up the end of the maps and the door closed. Then I thought, I need to push the button to go up. I put the ends of the maps down reached over and pushed the button. Nothing happened. I tried several buttons on the panel, open door, 1st floor, 2nd floor. I called the other custodian on my radio and asked, "Bob, would you like to come push the button on the elevator?" After a few minutes I heard him and several others, including the principal and the electrician, trying to open the door. It was getting very warm so I sat down on the floor where it was a little cooler. As time passed I unloaded the maps and stood on the handtruck to check for an exit through the ceiling. There was none. I read everything on the panel pertaining to emergencies, including pushing the fire button but it didn't work. I was able to open the inside door about an inch and discovered that the elevator had settled about 9 inches below floor level. Talking to the electrician through the door I learned that there is a door release for the outside door about 6 inches from the top. I stood on the handtruck and tried to release it with a putty knife, while others were working on the outside. The people who installed the elevator had not left the key to work this release. The electrician, who is the union president, warned me that I was taking an unauthorized break. After 45 minutes I decided to call home in case I was late getting there. The electrician finally made a makeshift tool to get the door open. When I stepped out I saw the electrician and the superintendent and the principal and two firemen. I figure there were about 40 people there, because I counted 20 and that was only about half. The district office staff was there for a tour of the new building. The superintendent shushed me when I told her there wasn't an escape out the top. The principal gave me some water and potato chips and I downed two bottles of water and took a short break before going back to work. I entered the elevator 5 more times to get the maps and carry them upstairs, but I never shut the door. The elevator is shut down until this problem can be solved.