Elevators help Iowa State students in a variety of ways. However, malfunctioning elevators can turn a daily convenience into a major hassle.

More than 25 people were trapped in a Larch Hall elevator Sunday, said Virginia Arthur, associate director of residence at ISU.

Two of the trapped received medical treatment at Mary Greely Medical Center.

Jerry Stewart, associate director of the Department of Public Safety, said DPS responded to the emergency call from the stranded elevator in four minutes.

“[DPS] received the call at 2:02 a.m.,” Stewart said. “We arrived at 2:06 a.m. and discovered that there were approximately 25 people trapped in the elevator.

“It is my understanding that in this case, the elevator was going down and stopped on a floor where people forced their way into the car and overloaded it,” he said.

Arthur said the elevator stopped because “there were way too many people on it.”

She said DPS aided in the rescue of the trapped individuals.

“DPS pried open the doors and helped get people out of the elevator,” she said.

The people in the elevator were stranded for about 30 minutes, Stewart said.

Although DPS freed the people in the Larch Hall elevator, Montgomery Elevator Company normally handles most situations involving campus elevators, Stewart said.

“[DPS] responds in the role of public safety,” Stewart said.

The recent elevator incident in Larch Hall was not the first time people have been trapped in ISU elevators.

Shane Beenken, senior in agronomy, was trapped in a Willow Hall elevator earlier this semester. Beenken was stuck in the elevator with one other person for about 45 minutes before being rescued.

“It is a weird feeling being stuck somewhere where you can’t get out,” he said. “It is something that I will always remember.”

Stewart said if people are trapped in an elevator, remaining calm is the key to handling the situation.

Beenken agreed and said, “Stay calm, and they will get you out sometime — it will just take a little time.”

It also is important for individuals trapped in the elevator to remain quiet while the emergency call is placed in order for the emergency operator to understand the situation, Stewart said.

“The biggest thing people can do is simply adhere to load limit recommendations to prevent the incident in the first place,” he said.