Add “cars in elevator shafts” to your “fears I didn’t know I had until now” file. In West Palm Beach, Florida, a Ferrari fell down an elevator shaft after a dealership’s car lift malfunctioned. Not only was the costly vehicle severely damaged, but it was also a bit of an odd situation for fire rescue crews.
Palm Beach Fire and Rescue (PBFR) were called to the dealership on Tuesday around 4:30 P.M. for a reported commercial structure fire. What had actually happened was a car elevator malfunctioned while moving the vehicle, and it became stuck in the hoistway. While this did cause a fuel leak, thankfully there was no fire. Due to the fuel leak, Special Operations Units placed a portable standpipe system on the first and third floors. This allowed a constant water supply should the fuel ignite.
Kauff’s Transportation Systems was also on the scene. They ended up using their new rotator wrecker to help remove the Ferrari from the elevator shaft. Something we are sure the operator was not expecting to have to do that day.
It took using the full 45-foot extension of the wrecker’s boom, several 50,000-pound rated winches, and the staff of both Kauff’s and PBFR, four hours to remove the vehicle. But with skill and caution, they were able to remove it without additional damage to the building or any other vehicles. Thankfully no injuries to anyone involved have been reported.
Modern Ferraris can set you back anywhere from $225,000 to $568,000 depending on model, year, and all the accoutrements.
“This was a long, multi-faceted incident that had many different aspects to it,” PBFR spokesman Tom Reyes said. Reyes is also being nominated for the understatement of the year award.
