His head was trapped between elevator ceiling and third floor
KUALA LUMPUR: A FAMILY'S anticipation of a joyous Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration this year was shattered when their son died in a freak elevator accident.
Khairul Amir Azri Lani, 11, died after his head and neck got stuck between the elevator ceiling and the building's third floor at Block 8 of the PPR Desa Tun Razak flats at 12.50pm yesterday.
The SK Bandar Tasik Selatan pupil had boarded the elevator with his friends after finishing school for the day.
Khairul Amir had wanted to get off at the third floor, where his grandmother lives, when the elevator stopped halfway between the second and third floor.
"The inner and outer doors were wide open but the car was in between floors. The car began to descend when one of his friends attempted to clamber through the opening," said witness Mohd Noor Asyriq Mohd Zafridin, 17.
He said his friend managed to grab the boy before Khairul Amir attempted to do the same.
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He said the elevator passengers could only scream in horror when Khairul Amir's head became stuck between the elevator ceiling and the third level floor.
"The passengers screamed as they saw his body convulsing for several seconds. But there was no sound from him," he said.
City Fire and Rescue Department assistant director (operations) Azizan Ismail said they received a distress call at 1.16pm. Firemen managed to open the doors of the lift with help from the building's maintenance team.
Drama engulfed the ground floor of the building when rescuers collected Khairul Amir's body.
His parents were seen weeping and being comforted by others.
Khairul Amir's mother fainted while escorting his body to a police vehicle. His body was sent to Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Hospital for a post-mortem.
The boy's uncle, Kamarul Hisyam Mat Zain, 30, said the family was mulling taking legal action against City Hall and the building's maintenance contractor, claiming the flats' elevators was notorious for technical glitches, but not much had been done to fix them.
