Two Chinese maintenance workers face charges in the death of a woman trapped in an elevator for a month, authorities in western China said.
Government officials in China's Gaoling district told the Beijing Times the woman might have starved to death.
The elevator apparently became stuck between the 10th and 11th floors of a building in the city of Xian on Jan. 30, the Times said. Service men called to deal with the broken cable banged on the door, but when they heard no response they cut off power to the elevator and told residents to use a different lift, the officials said.
When the servicemen returned to fix the cable last week, they opened the elevator door and found the woman's body.
“Her hands were distorted… there were scratches on the wall, it was horrible,” a building resident told the Times.
Residents said they had heard no strange sounds coming from the elevator while it was inoperative. The government said the servicemen should have opened the door to make certain no one was inside.
The victim, 43, lived by herself in the building. Authorities ruled out foul play, but the Associated Press said authorities determined the cause required charges of involuntary manslaughter because the death was caused by gross negligence.
Government officials in China's Gaoling district told the Beijing Times the woman might have starved to death.
The elevator apparently became stuck between the 10th and 11th floors of a building in the city of Xian on Jan. 30, the Times said. Service men called to deal with the broken cable banged on the door, but when they heard no response they cut off power to the elevator and told residents to use a different lift, the officials said.
When the servicemen returned to fix the cable last week, they opened the elevator door and found the woman's body.
“Her hands were distorted… there were scratches on the wall, it was horrible,” a building resident told the Times.
Residents said they had heard no strange sounds coming from the elevator while it was inoperative. The government said the servicemen should have opened the door to make certain no one was inside.
The victim, 43, lived by herself in the building. Authorities ruled out foul play, but the Associated Press said authorities determined the cause required charges of involuntary manslaughter because the death was caused by gross negligence.