Elevator crash in Bali: five dead at popular resort
Five young hotel workers have died after a steel lift cable broke at a Bali resort and plunged them 100 meters into a steep embankment.
The two men and three women were working in the housekeeping department of the Ayuterra Resort in the Ubud district when they boarded the glass-walled elevator, which climbs a 35-degree slope, around 1 p.m. Friday.
The workers are identified as Ni Luh Superningsih, 20, Kadek Hardiyanti, 24, Kadek Yanti Pradewi, 19, Sang Putu Bayu Adi Krisna, 19, and Wayan Aries Setiawan, 23.
Two of the employees died on the spot, while the remaining three were alive and transported to hospital, but sadly died soon after.
A cook at the hotel, Ketut Suwiarta, told local media he heard screams shortly after the group entered the elevator, and then creaks.
He rushed out to help the victims and alerted the authorities.
Five hotel factories tragically lost their lives after a steel elevator cable broke at a resort in Bali
The glass-walled elevator runs along a path along a steep embankment between the resort’s ground-floor facilities and the ridge-side accommodation.
The elevator runs on a track and transports both tourists and employees between the upper parts of the hotel, high on the ridge, and the resort facilities on the ground floor.
Clearly, the elevator was a popular Instagram attraction at the resort, offering views over the surrounding landscape.
Police are investigating why the cable broke, whether adequate safety maintenance was carried out and why backup measures were not put in place in case the cable should break.
The families met with Bali’s Vice Governor Cok Ace over the weekend as Balinese Hindu ceremonies were held to properly cleanse the site and the victims.
‘I was at the resort before; the Bali police was there, the police chief too, as well as several witnesses who were aware of the incident.’ he told reporters.
“Earlier, when I was interviewed there, I saw with my own eyes the scene where the rope broke.”
All resort guests have been transferred to another property during the investigation.
Police are investigating why the cable snapped and authorities said this was a wake-up call for hotels and businesses on the island (paramedics on scene photo)
A photo of the elevator before the tragic accident
Resort owner Linggawati Utomo expressed her condolences to the families of the victims.
‘All costs for funeral rites and funerals are for our account. We will also compensate the families,” she said.
Ubud’s chief of police, Police Commissioner Made Uder, said on Monday the tragedy would be a wake-up call for all hotels and businesses on the resort island.
“The steel swing rope wasn’t strong enough to pull the weight up, which was quite heavy, and the safety wedge or brake didn’t work, causing the elevator to slide down at high speed, so this accident couldn’t be avoided,” he said .
The elevator was reportedly inspected only in November 2022 by an independent consultant, who said it was in working order.