This is not the Overlook (?)
August 12, 2023 9:49 AM Subscribe
What happened this morning at my apartment building? So. I took the elevator down from the 4th this morning to walk the dogs about 6:45. I didn't see anyone else, though sometimes I'll see other dog walkers or people rushing to early jobs. When we went back inside about 7:10, I saw weird flashing lights for a moment (I think?), from the stairwell through a small window, toward the middle of the building where the elevator is.
The doors to all the hallways on the first floor into the middle of the building, normally open (and open when we went out), were now closed. I thought maybe a bored kid pulled them closed (they don't lock and I don't actually know their purpose), but didn't really think there would be a loose kid in the building at 7am. The elevator said 1 for first floor, but when I pushed the call button, the elevator doors did not open. The call light was on, but nothing happened. I waited for a few, pushed the button a few times, then we went up the stairs (had to carry one of my dogs).
On the fourth floor (which is also the top floor), all the hallway doors were also closed. I have not seen anyone else at this point, though I did hear some faint tv sounds. Back in my apartment, my computer (which I never turn off) was off. But the clocks in the bedroom and kitchen did not indicate the power had gone off. (Maybe a brownout with some kind of temporary backup?)
I sent an email to the management because I did not think it was an emergency. It is now about 4 hours later so certainly other people have tried the elevator by now and reported it or not. I'm a little worried about getting stuck in it, to be honest, though I'll have my cell phone and plenty of people live in this building. I don't know whether there are any folks who are unable to use the stairs, though once we had a notice that the elevator wouldn't be working for about half a day. It does make weird noises sometimes.
Any thoughts as to what may have happened? Is there some kind of signal that affects elevators and computers but not other electricity? Happy to hear all theories (both benign and extraterrestrial). Also what the heck with the hallway doors? There's probably a reason for them but I can't think of one. Slowing the spread of smoke in an emergency?
The doors to all the hallways on the first floor into the middle of the building, normally open (and open when we went out), were now closed. I thought maybe a bored kid pulled them closed (they don't lock and I don't actually know their purpose), but didn't really think there would be a loose kid in the building at 7am. The elevator said 1 for first floor, but when I pushed the call button, the elevator doors did not open. The call light was on, but nothing happened. I waited for a few, pushed the button a few times, then we went up the stairs (had to carry one of my dogs).
On the fourth floor (which is also the top floor), all the hallway doors were also closed. I have not seen anyone else at this point, though I did hear some faint tv sounds. Back in my apartment, my computer (which I never turn off) was off. But the clocks in the bedroom and kitchen did not indicate the power had gone off. (Maybe a brownout with some kind of temporary backup?)
I sent an email to the management because I did not think it was an emergency. It is now about 4 hours later so certainly other people have tried the elevator by now and reported it or not. I'm a little worried about getting stuck in it, to be honest, though I'll have my cell phone and plenty of people live in this building. I don't know whether there are any folks who are unable to use the stairs, though once we had a notice that the elevator wouldn't be working for about half a day. It does make weird noises sometimes.
Any thoughts as to what may have happened? Is there some kind of signal that affects elevators and computers but not other electricity? Happy to hear all theories (both benign and extraterrestrial). Also what the heck with the hallway doors? There's probably a reason for them but I can't think of one. Slowing the spread of smoke in an emergency?
The hallway doors are fire doors designed to stop the spread of a fire. They should automatically close if a fire alarm goes off. Is it possible there was a fire alarm while you were out? I don't know if they'd close in the event of a blackout or brownout.
It does sound like a power surge or brownout or something. I know that our fire doors all got stuck closed, one elevator went out, and the power to some but not all units was messed up for a few days after our building was hit by lightning a few weeks ago, so those are all things that a weird power surge could do.
posted by gideonfrog at 10:02 AM on August 12, 2023 [3 favorites]
It does sound like a power surge or brownout or something. I know that our fire doors all got stuck closed, one elevator went out, and the power to some but not all units was messed up for a few days after our building was hit by lightning a few weeks ago, so those are all things that a weird power surge could do.
posted by gideonfrog at 10:02 AM on August 12, 2023 [3 favorites]
Best answer: In all the bigger buildings I’ve lived and worked in, a pulled fire alarm (or a test of the fire alarm, or a test of some systems related to fire alarms, so I’m extrapolating maybe even a power glitch or error in the systems) automatically trigger: a flashing light, closed fire doors, recall of elevators to the ground floor where they are disabled.
These are all for safety—elevators are NOT a safe mode of evacuation in a fire, they’re death traps; and doors block the spread of fire. Lights visually alert hearing impaired people and can be a beacon for the fire dept. or building workers.
The only thing missing here is the sound, and the only thing added is your computer. My guess is the alarm was pulled on another floor which was a large electrical load on the building, or some kind of power disruption triggered some of these safety features.
posted by kapers at 10:14 AM on August 12, 2023 [9 favorites]
These are all for safety—elevators are NOT a safe mode of evacuation in a fire, they’re death traps; and doors block the spread of fire. Lights visually alert hearing impaired people and can be a beacon for the fire dept. or building workers.
The only thing missing here is the sound, and the only thing added is your computer. My guess is the alarm was pulled on another floor which was a large electrical load on the building, or some kind of power disruption triggered some of these safety features.
posted by kapers at 10:14 AM on August 12, 2023 [9 favorites]
Also, ask building management for a fire drill! They will explain everything that is supposed to (and not supposed to) happen in the event of an emergency. If they don’t want to do that the fire dept is usually glad to answer questions from the public (don’t call the emergency line of course.)
posted by kapers at 10:17 AM on August 12, 2023 [5 favorites]
posted by kapers at 10:17 AM on August 12, 2023 [5 favorites]
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posted by slidell at 10:00 AM on August 12, 2023 [5 favorites]