Terrifying CCTV footage captured the moment an overloaded lift plunged about 50 feet to the ground inside a high-rise building in Dagestan, Russia.
Nine men were reportedly packed into the small lift when a fault in the mechanism caused the elevator to suddenly drop. Authorities said the lift was only designed to carry up to six people.
The footage showed the men standing tightly together before a sudden jolt sent them crashing to the floor as the lift plummeted to the ground.
After the impact, the men were left sprawled on top of one another inside the damaged lift, visibly shocked by the incident.
Emergency services were quickly dispatched to the building, with four of the men reportedly suffering broken legs. Fortunately, authorities said none of the injuries were considered life-threatening.
The regional health ministry said doctors at republican hospitals were treating the four injured victims following the lift accident.
The incident has also raised wider concerns over the safety and legality of the building and its facilities.
Authorities said the building, which was completed in 2021, had never received a commissioning certificate and had not officially been transferred to the municipality.
The high-rise was also reportedly among 180 buildings in Dagestan identified by authorities as allegedly unauthorised structures.
The regional housing inspectorate has questioned whether the lift was legally operating and whether it met the necessary technical and safety requirements.
Russia’s Investigative Committee has since opened a criminal investigation into the incident.
