Source:
Associated PressA faulty elevator was behind the shutdown of the observation deck on the world's tallest tower that effectively closed the half-mile-high Burj Khalifa to the public, witnesses and a Dubai rescue official said Tuesday.
Visitors who were on the viewing floor at the time of Saturday's incident told The Associated Press they heard a loud noise, then saw what looked like smoke but turned out to be dust seeping out of the crack in one of the elevator doors.
... “It almost sounded like a small explosion. It was a really loud bang,” said Michael Timms, 31, an American telecommunications engineer who lives in Dubai and was visiting the tower with his cousin Michele Moscato.
About 45 minutes later, rescue crews arrived and pried open the elevator door, Mr. Timms said. The faulty elevator was caught between floors, so rescuers hoisted a ladder into the shaft to help those trapped inside get out.
... The 2,717-foot (828-metre) building's owner, Emaar Properties, has revealed few details about the incident since closing the observation deck indefinitely.
... Emaar has made no mention of problems with the elevators. That angers some involved in the incident.
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http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/bang-preceded-shutdown-of-worlds-tallest-tower-in-dubai/article1461141/