Many of us have heard some pretty wild elevator stories—from awkward silences and strange smells to people behaving in ways you’d never expect in such a small, shared space. Elevators may seem like the most ordinary part of a building, but they’ve quietly witnessed all kinds of bizarre, funny, and sometimes downright uncomfortable moments. But what most people don’t realize is that the real surprises aren’t just inside the elevator—they’re hidden beneath it. The bottom of an elevator shaft, a place most of us never even think about, can tell a completely different story. Over time, all sorts of things find their way down there, creating a strange collection of forgotten, lost, or discarded items.
That’s exactly what came to light when someone online asked, “What’s the weirdest thing you’ve found at the bottom of an elevator shaft?” The responses came pouring in. From experienced technicians who’ve seen it all to everyday people sharing secondhand stories, the answers ranged from amusing to shocking. Some were funny, some were unexpected, and a few were hard to believe. So, keep scrolling—because after reading these, you might never step into an elevator without wondering what’s hidden just beneath your feet.
#1
My dad was an elevator mechanic for about 15 years.
He had a very dark sense of humour and would come home with some of the craziest stories. (For example, any time he was in an elevator, he would shake it a little or tap on the displays or buttons and go ‘Yep. Total piece of [trash]. Inferior piece of [trash].’ and I think he mostly did it to freak people out.) One of my favourites:
He got a call that someone was hearing weird noises from the elevator. He got inside, rode the elevator up and sure enough, he could hear it too. For half a second he thought it was a baby crying and realized it was a cat. When he got to a certain floor, he could hear this sad meowing. It obviously wasn’t in the elevator car, so he got into the shaft and found this little orange kitty! It had somehow (and I don’t think he figured out or told us how) got into the elevator shaft and was sitting in a spot between the floors where it wouldn’t get crushed by the elevator, but it couldn’t get out.
My dad saved it and gave it to the building manager to see if it belonged to anyone in the building.
It was the one time he ever told us a story that involved him saving an animal instead of finding [deceased] ones.
Image source: aimeeerp, Delicious-Milk-4079
#2
Well over 1500 tax returns at the bottom of the ATO’s north brisbane office elevator shaft.
#3
The elevator guys in my dad’s office complex found pieces of a dog’s skeleton. Not the whole skeleton, just random parts.
Image source: anon, Getty Images
If you’re someone who avoids the stairs (especially when it comes to climbing up multiple floors), then elevators probably feel like a blessing. Whether you’re carrying groceries, rushing to work, or just not in the mood to walk, elevators make everyday life a lot easier. There’s no denying how much we rely on them without even thinking twice. But here’s the thing—no matter how convenient they are, it’s important to use them safely. Most of us step in and out of elevators on autopilot, rarely considering what could go wrong. However, a few small precautions can make a big difference. Understanding basic elevator safety can be very helpful.
#4
Been in the game 12 years now.
Found a full Christmas tree last month
Other finds
5k in £20 notes
Big bag of [illegal substances]. Roughly 5kg
Brand new shoes by the box load.
Severed finger
So backstory.
Christmas tree was found this year on a council estate in August. Photos was taken for the office as it was rather amusing. I visit this lift every month.
The money and [illegal substances] was found in the same lift shift around 3 months apart 7 years ago. The money was spilt between me and my engineer as I was an apprentice at the time.
The shoes was found on a passenger/staff lift out the back of JD sports. Suspect a staff member was sticking them down there and loading into a car at the end of his shift. Police was involved in this one.
The finger was found in a very expensive apartment building. We talking 50 floors and million£+ apartments.
Again police and emg services involved in this one.
Image source: chemical_painting777, Mike Cox
#5
One of my baseball coaches when I was a kid lost his glass eyeball in the elevator shaft. Maintenance guy gave a solid W*F.
#6
Pest control tech here, Snakes had gotten into the pit and were climbing up and dropping down on people as they rode the elevator. Good times.
Image source: FeastofFamine, reddit
Today, Bored Panda got the chance to speak with an elevator mechanic, Harish Patel, who has been working in the field for nearly a decade. Over the years, he’s seen just about everything that can go wrong inside an elevator. He shared that many issues start with simple carelessness. “I can’t count the number of times I’ve had to fix an elevator just because someone dropped something into the gap and it got stuck,” he explains.
People often lose phones, or keys, and those items can interfere with the elevator’s functioning. He also pointed out how children pressing all the buttons might seem harmless, but it can actually cause problems. Random button pressing can confuse the system, delay operations, or even trigger safety mechanisms unnecessarily. In some cases, it may lead to false alarms or disrupt the elevator’s normal functioning.
#7
A couch. Not joking. It was a walk in pit that a homeless person had retrofit into a small living room.
Image source: Elema214, reddit
#8
My dad has been an elevator repair man for almost 30 year now. His best find to date was a $12,000 yellow diamond engagement ring! Tried for a while to find the owner, but eventually he got to keep it.
Image source: LordWalrus07, ew6281
#9
My dad is a LR for thyssenkrupp. He finds all sorts of neat things!
Best find: $100 CAD.
Worst find: 20+ year old banana peel.
Most interesting find: Glass eye (sorry whoever it belongs to, I have your eye on my shelf).
Image source: anon, TwinkieWinky420
He continues with one of the simplest yet most overlooked safety tips: watching your step. “Always make sure the elevator floor is level with the landing before stepping in or out,” he says. It might sound obvious, but in a rush, people often forget to check. A small gap or uneven surface can easily cause someone to trip or lose balance. This becomes even more important for elderly individuals or those carrying heavy items. Even if you’ve used elevators countless times, it’s worth taking that extra second to look down. Rushing in without checking can lead to unnecessary accidents.
#10
Bundle of Watchtower magazines (Jehovah’s witnesses pamphlets) wrapped in duct tape. Inside it was a Rossi .44 Special revolver and a screwdriver.
#11
I once accidently lost my drivers license down the little gap in the elevator doors, just dropped it and was super unlucky as it slipped through. It turned up in my mail 10 years later! Obviously long expired, but still crazy some maintenance guy found it and bothered retuning it.
Image source: Myjunkisonfire, reddit
#12
My dad has a great story about this. He supervised the mechanics, and one of them called him from a mental hospital and said “you’ve got to see this”. The maintenance guy was called because the elevator wasn’t quite sitting level on the ground floor; it was about half an inch too high and both patients and staff had been tripping on it. But all other floors were no problem.
My dad arrived to find the maintenance guy cackling, looking into the bottom of the shaft. There were probably tens of thousands of magazines down there. They had to get a bunch of shovels, a small crew, and a rolling dumpster to clear it out. When it was all done, my dad decided to stay behind and pretend to read a newspaper while he sat in the lobby. After about half an hour, he sees an elderly patient holding a magazine, shuffling slowly toward the elevator. He stops in front of the doors, glances left, glances right, and quickly stoops down, slides the magazine into the gap, and shuffles away as fast as he can with a huge grin on his face. My dad could not help but laugh hysterically. This guy had probably been sliding magazines in there multiple times per day, every day, for decades. I should ask him whether he reported it or let the guy have his fun. Wouldn’t surprise me if my dad went with the latter.
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Harish also warns against playful or careless behavior inside elevators. “Avoid jumping, pushing, or running,” he says, emphasizing that sudden movements can interfere with the system. Elevators are designed with safety sensors, and abrupt actions can sometimes trigger them. Jumping, for example, can momentarily affect the balance of the elevator, potentially causing it to stop unexpectedly. While it might seem harmless or fun, especially to kids, it can create unnecessary risks. Pushing or roughhousing in such a confined space can also lead to injuries. Elevators aren’t designed for movement beyond normal standing or walking.
#13
Worked security in a large department store, we routinely had to pop it open to retrieve dropped keys, wallets, and phones.
Recovered a $2500 gold necklace covered in [feces].. a would be shoplifter darted out of our jewelry department and “suitcased” the necklace while in the elevator. When he realized we were waiting for him at the exit level he went back up a floor, removed it, and dropped it down the shaft.
We arrested him anyway, much to his surprise.
Image source: Sho0terman, anon
#14
Not a technician, but do work at a large hotel. A few years ago one of our elevators stopped working. Turned out when they opened it up they found a 3-ft pile of guest folios that were never delivered to the rooms. Later when we looked on the camera we found it was a security guard that got tired of delivering them to the rooms and instead dropped them down the elevator shaft. He did this for months until he was caught.
Image source: drdisney, redddit
#15
At a place where my wife used to work: a body.
There was a crash from the elevator area. The boss went to see what it was, came back white as a sheet, and said “*Do not go out there*.” Two maintenance guys had been working on the elevator, one was in the bottom of the shaft, and the other one made one small error…
But I’m guessing the single most unusual item ever found at the bottom of an elevator shaft was a Wright R-2600 aircraft engine, on July 28, 1945 in the Empire State Building.
Image source: shleppenwolf, Yunus Tuğ
Another common mistake people make is trying to force the elevator doors open. “I know we’re all in a hurry,” Harish says, “but never use your hands, feet, or any object to hold or pry the doors open.” It might feel like you’re saving a few seconds, but it can actually damage the door mechanism. Modern elevators are equipped with sensors, and interfering with them can lead to malfunctions. If the doors don’t open in time, it’s always safer to wait for the next elevator. Forcing them can also pose a risk of getting your hand or belongings stuck.
#16
Retired 40 years in the trade the best I ever found was a $20.00 bill but know a man that found a $7000.00 diamond ring kept it for six months no one ever asked about it and he gave it to his wife.
Image source: Clim1603
#17
Work for a major transit hub, we have our own trade departments. Im in elevating.
Weirdest things i have found are as follows.
Chucky doll head.
13 rubber duckies in one pit.
Needles almost daily.
Silicone Gimp mask.
Every day is an adventure.
#18
“In 1988, the same bones were rediscovered when a new elevator shaft near the south parking lot on Elm Street was excavated. At that time, 11 skulls and 88 pounds of bones were found on one day, followed by 119 more pounds of bones. The Enquirer reported that they were being stored at the morgue.” Cincinnati Music Hall, built on a children’s home, built on a potters field, built on a burial site, built on bulldozed Indigenous Mounds.
Harish further explains that applying pressure to elevator doors can be more dangerous than people realize. “External pressure can interfere with the door locking system, which is extremely risky,” he says. Elevator doors are designed to close and lock in a very specific way to ensure safety during movement. If that system is disrupted, it can affect how the elevator operates. He also stresses the importance of not overcrowding the elevator. Too many people inside can exceed the weight limit, which may cause the elevator to stall or refuse to move. Overcrowding can also make it harder for people to stand safely. Following capacity guidelines helps keep everything running smoothly. It’s all about using the space responsibly.
#19
A whole salmon and a king crab, same kitchen elevator of a seafood restaurant.
$100 in $20 bills.
Image source: Asklepios24, reddit
#20
I worked as a phlebotomist in a hospital and had just drawn an elderly male patient. As I pushed my little cart into the elevator to go back down to the lab, his blood vials rolled off and both went right down the gap into the shaft. I felt so bad and went immediately back to tell him I had to redraw him. He was thrilled! Said he was excited his blood would be down the shaft for eternity. Such a funny guy.
Image source: ronsinblush, Age Cymru
#21
A handgun hidden behind the door tracks on the elevator.
Many times keys, tools, money, tampons!
Once I found a cat skeleton. Still wonder how he got in.
Image source: RaceDBannon
#22
Hey one i can answer! I once found a shopping trolley. I got called out because the elevator would stop above the first floor, turns out it could not go all the way down because of the trolley.
Image source: 0006isho
He also highlights something many people overlook—what they bring into the elevator. “Be careful with the items you’re carrying,” Harish advises. He recalls a recent incident involving helium balloons that caused unexpected trouble. If balloons float too close to the ceiling or sensors, they can interfere with the elevator’s operation. In some cases, if they burst, they can startle passengers or create a mess. Large or awkward items can also block doors or make it difficult for others to move. Even everyday objects, if not handled properly, can create small but avoidable issues.
#23
A body. In 2005 in our small town a person went missing for 5 days and we found him in the elevator’s shaft. He was visiting some relatives in an apartment building at the 8th floor. Unfortunately the door of the elevator had a malfunction and still opened even if the elevator was on the 9th floor. He stepped inside and fell. The neighbors complained about the smell and that’s how we found him.
Image source: vladberar
#24
The weirdest thing i found in the pit of the elevator was a pair of fuzzy pink handcuffs –stranger still was the elevator was in a hospital.
Image source: wdean13
#25
Worked at a hotel. Guest dropped their phone down the shaft. After a few failed retrieval efforts, we called the elevator guys. They went down got the phone and also found a carton of eggs. Rotten, but not cracked. I don’t even understand how that could happen accidentally.
Image source: Hocktober
#26
I used to work at an old 22 story building that had the first automated elevator system in our state. The idea was, in order to control the flow of people in the lobby you’d push the button for your floor and the elevator would tell you which one to get on. The elevators would make sure the crowds spread out over the big lobby.
Anyway, it was the first time I’d ever seen the auto-open eyes used, too. I worked on the executive floor, where long winded executives would often stop me as I was leaving. I got used to passing my hand through the doors to break the eye and hold the doors open.
You guessed it; my left hand didn’t trip the eye. The doors closed on my hand which was prevented from closing completely because of my heavy engagement and wedding rings. Crushed the whole mess and lost a two two carat diamond 22 stories below. My hand was only bruised, thank goodness for a safety shutoff.
I like to think that someday, someone will find a tiny treasure.
Image source: breatheblinkrepeat
Harish concludes with a simple but important message. “Elevators are very safe when used properly, but people often forget the basics,” he says. Most accidents or malfunctions happen because of small, avoidable mistakes. Whether it’s watching your step, avoiding rough behavior, or respecting the system, every little habit counts. Elevators are designed to make life easier, not risky. At the end of the day, it’s all about being a little more mindful.
Well, these posts highlight some truly intriguing and unexpected things found at the bottom of elevator shafts. From everyday items to things you’d never imagine, it just goes to show how much can slip through the cracks—literally. But as Harish points out, it’s important to be mindful and careful with your belongings while using elevators. If items fall into the gaps, they can interfere with the machinery and even cause the elevator to malfunction. Which one of these finds surprised you the most? Let us know your thoughts!
#27
Not elevator maintenance but one time I dropped a set of wheels for a cart in the crack. Im sure some maintenance man is going to be concerned to find loose wheels in the elevator of a nursing home. Like some elder person is walking around with a wheel less walker.
Image source: anon577321
#28
Not an elevator technician, but I can tell you some dude, at some point is going to find a kindle at the bottom of a shaft in a Toronto hotel elevator.
Rules to remember:
Rule #1: Always check that you zipped your carry-on and didn’t leave a gap in the bottom
Rule #2: Kindles fit through small carry-on bag zipper gaps and elevator shaft gaps.
Image source: TheAyre
#29
It depends on the building / neighborhood. I’ve seen everything from dirty diapers, to used needles… keys, wallets, phones, picture frames, sandwiches, and I guess the icing on the cake was a tomagachi.
No, it didn’t work. So we typically just trashed everything unless it was valuable. I always turned jewelry into the managements office but I worked with guys who def sold valuables for unsavory purposes.
TLDR; that crack between the car and the door sill is a black hole for objects.
Image source: anon
#30
I had to clean some bad isolation at the top of the elevator chamber. So the maintenance guy bring the elevator with the top at the second floor and we go on top to drive to the top, on the elevator cabine were a few pairs of women underwear and used [protection]. So someone was [making love] on the top of the elevator, how the got there was a mystery because it was a very modern one and you need a special key to open the control box to access the top of the elevator.
Image source: anon
#31
Not in elevator repair…
A few months ago we had a floridly psychotic patient (think staring into space, can’t form a coherent sentence, etc) brought into hospital. There was a fire alarm at an apartment building and when fire went in, they somehow found this guy living in an elevator shaft. He had evidently been there for some period of time.
Most of his delusions that he was talking about for me (that I could understand) were about time travel and Jesus, so we were joking a bit that he wasn’t actually psychotic and was just time travelling Jesus.
Image source: aedes
#32
I am not an elevator maintenance person, but I have been in dozens of elevator shafts for work. Anyway, the elevator shafts must be cleared to ensure that there aren’t any explosive devices. Basically, any place that POTUS or the VIP will go needs to be checked out. I’ve done a fair amount of “elevator surfing”, which is riding on top of the car.
The weirdest (and funniest) thing I’ve seen was a 12 inch (around that height) Superman figurine that had its feet glued to the top of the elevator. The head was slightly tilted back and the arms were pointed upwards so it appeared like Superman was flying up, up, and away! whenever the elevator was in use. I have a picture of it saved on an external hard drive somewhere. That was hilarious.
Image source: DoareGunner
#33
Keys. Trash. Bugs if the building is exceptionally [trashy]. Mostly dirt and dust. Found a paint roller that the last guy left there once. It was stuck to the floor. Not a whole lot of weird stuff can make it between the sill and the landing.
Image source: MastaFnog
#34
One time, we were doing a rip out at an old factory. They were gutting them and turning them into luxury apartments. The elevator we were taking out was a [trashy] old freight that hadn’t run in years. When we finally ran it up, we went down to inspect the pit. It smelled like a [corpse] had chilled there for half a century. The bottom floor wasn’t lit so I shined my flashlight under the elevator and the whole floor started moving. Roaches. Nasty.
Haven’t really found anything fun though. I’ve cleaned out more pits than I could count too. I gave my mom a cheap ring I found. Found a pair of underwear at a hotel. Found a full packet at a courthouse of some lady’s case transcribed. Oh, I was on a mod once and one of the hoistway doors had an advertisement sticker for a tennis restringing service. Which was weird because it was somewhere only an elevator guy should be able to reach. I called the number, but it was out of service. I’ve found some cool grafitti from the 40s. That’s about it.
I worked on escalators for a year and a half. There was a lot more in those pits. I was taking home bent up quarters every day. There was lots of shoe bits and I was always nervous of coming across used needles in certain units.
Image source: anon
#35
A doll … sitting up right in a corner
Image source: Do-or-Die89
#36
Here’s an obligatory “not one of the elevator maintenance folk” story.
My dad had a Razr phone back when they were still cool. Just to annoy him, my mom changed the ringtone to the sound of a meowing cat. My dad absolutely hated it, but didn’t change it.
Anyway, one day at work, he’s getting out of the elevator and accidentally drops his phone into the crack between the elevator car and the doors!
He calls maintenance and asks them if they can get his phone back, but they say sorry, we can’t do that. So he’s standing outside the elevator thinking of what to do and he gets an Idea. Running into a nearby office, he asks a coworker if he can use their desk phone for a second… and proceeds to call his own phone. He does this a few times.
A couple minutes later, someone else hysterically phones security, saying that there’s a cat stuck in the elevator shaft. A few other people in the elevator at the time corroborate the story, so the elevator maintenance folk run the elevator up the shaft and shine some light down there.
Meanwhile, my dad and some other people are standing by the open doors to the shaft, looking downwards.
My dad says, “Hey, I don’t see any cat…but I think I see my phone down there! Can you guys grab it for me?”
And they do.
Image source: operatic_cough
#37
I asked a guy this at work last night. Wasn’t as surprising as I expected. Just a ball. A very large ball. That had no business being able to get down there. Then I asked if he ever left anything strange down there for the next guy. He went quiet and slowly turned to me, pulling a barbie out of his pocket…
Image source: anon
#38
Elevator repair man here! I haven’t found anything “crazy” just the normal stuff cockroaches, underwear, and a couple of bucks. But since your reading this I’ll let you in on a little know feature. Elevators have a tipping feature if you slip money down between the sill into the pit the elevator will get you to your floor faster, if you put in enough money it will skip all other calls an bring you right to your floor! You’re welcome.
Image source: Qazplm60
#39
I’ve found ID cards, keys, small deceased animals (lizards and rats mostly), lots of cob webs, hypodermic needles, one air pod, and things like that. The weirdest thing I’ve ever found as a repair guy is a clean pit. The service guys seem to not clean anything.
Image source: AZEngie
#40
The company where I worked had an old heavy-duty freight elevator that was semi-abandoned. It was more like an automotive lift with giant pistons embedded in the ground, but installed in an elevator shaft. When they needed to move something huge, they would fill the hydraulics with oil. It took hundreds of gallons to top off the system, including the giant pistons, and then they would use it for a day. A few months later they would try to use it again and find the oil gone. Once, they planned to use it the following day, so maintenance pumped in the oil to get ready. The next day – no oil. They refilled it the morning of the move and got one lift out of it before it stopped. The company knew it was spilling hydraulic oil into the ground under the plant and just did not [care]. The finally abandoned it for good when the maintenance guys threatened to report the illegal oil dumping.
Image source: zinsser
#41
I have lost two pair of glasses down the elevator shaft, two different elevators across the country. The first time it was like slow motion, they fell, I accidentally kicked them while trying to pick them up, and as they skittered away from me, the elevator door opened and they slipped down the crack between the doors. Everyone in the elevator froze while it happened and we were all shocked at the perfect timing.
The second time was less dramatic, but similarly unlucky timing as I blurrily watched another pair slip down between the doors.
Fortunately, I always have backup glasses, so it wasn’t a huge loss.
Image source: Merry_Pippins
#42
Not an elevator tech, buuuut….
We were running a warrant at a horrible multi-story building that had been essentially abandoned by the owners. We knew the top floor had been riddled with access ways between many of the old apartments by kicking through the dry wall. Essentially most of the top floor was a single “super-apartment”.
We knew the elevator was out, so we hit the stairs as soon as we pulled up. The building was abandoned to the point of smelling (BAD), but we knew there were squatters that lived here. It wasn’t a huge haul up, but running stairs with all your gear isn’t exactly a vacation. We got to the top floor and started working on containment. Within a minute or two we heard calls of “Contact!” behind us, followed by the yells for someone to get on the ground. The floor was quickly secured with no injuries (which is a good day).
Rounding back to the entry hallway, we learned that our suspect had kicked down the drywall opposite the elevator, and thrown some bundles down the elevator shaft before he was taken into custody. A quick conversation, asking the folks on the ground floor to pop the elevator doors and see what was there. Horrible idea.
Within seconds a screamed “Stop! NO!” was heard up the stairwell. The ground floor of the elevator was completely filled with [trash], as part of the ceiling from the elevator had caved in, and the cast-off-of-humanity was seeping in. We rapidly learned that it was even worse for the second floor as it was filled almost to the top.
Yeah… The abandoned building had a trash chute, in the form of the broken elevator shaft. All kinds of [trash], dirty diapers, a deceased cat, syringes, garbage bags, garbage out of bags, little fluffs of toilet paper with nasty streaks on them, broken glass, and a curious amount of unbroken bottles that all seemed to be filled with golden yellow liquid. It was a horrible, damp mess.
I had to rope down from the top (not too many floors) to take possession of the bundles that were thrown down. Thankfully all were on top. I stupidly thought this wouldn’t be that big of a deal, and then I started my descent. If I screwed up my rope down, I was going to bounce off of tetanus incarnate, laced with used hypodermic needles and human excrement. I probably should have found a better way, but this idiot was already descending.
It turns out that they really were all they way on top. Steady hands locked the line, and I was able to stretch and reach the bundles. The gang then hooked the line and helped angle me to a safe exit.
TLDR: Abandoned building had evidence throw into the elevator shaft, after the occupants had been using the elevator shaft to dump every drop of waste down it, accumulating over 20 feet.
Image source: DocBallentine
#43
Not a elevator-maintenance folk, but I remember when I was maybe 10 I had a Nokia 3310 I believe, one of the brick ones anyway. I dropped it down the bottom of the elevator shaft in the small gap in the doors from the 6/7th floor. It was down there for months until I saw the elevator-maintenance man and asked if he could have a look. Not only was it still down there, unbroken – it also still had battery. Those were the days.
Image source: ScottsTotssss
#44
Ok, I know this might be [messed] up, but when I lived in an apartment building with an elevator, I would often leave things in the elevator shaft just to mess with the maintenance guy.
It started because I knew he was superstitious and paranoid and he had been a total [jerk] to my female roommate and asked her for an “alternative payment” in exchange for him fixing our fireplace.
So… Yeah.
I used to leave things just to mess with him around the apartment complex.
In the elevator shaft, I left a pentagram circled by candles, and in the middle of it I put a porcelain doll and two knives I had used to clean chickens and deer, still with blood on them.
Beneath the stairs on the first floor, there was an empty space he would store tools behind a metal door. In the far back corner, behind tools he rarely moved, I put a small mattress and some old Polaroids I bought at an estate sale… Scratched out the eyes and faces on some of them… So he thought someone was living under the stairs.
On the roof of the building, by the AC units, I left a copy of the Satanic Bible that I got from some girl I had met on Tinder and slept with. (She tried to convert me to Satanism and I was perfectly happy being a non-believer in all religions).
So the story the maintenance guy told our Landlord was that there was a Satanic witch squatting under the stairs and performing rituals and practicing witchcraft in the elevator shaft.
I moved out with my girlfriend soon after that. But my old roommate said she heard from the landlord that the maintenance guy moved out of the building and the landlord figured out it was me shortly after I moved out. The landlord thought it was hilarious.
Image source: Atlas_Black
#45
It’s called an elevator pit, just so you know next time.
I’ve found 10$ roll of quarters.
Used needles.
Deceased mouse/rat.
Credit cards.
Keys.
An unusual amount of mail.
Half of a $100 doller bill (still waiting on the other half).
Image source: anon
#46
Elevator guys once found a envelope with my name on it and gave it to security. Next time I was in the building working they gave it to me and it was basically a letter from a guard that was fired like 6 or 7 years prior telling me to [get lost]. Made for a good laugh the rest of the day.
Image source: jmorgs91
#47
My uncle worked for a hotel in Boston. He was sent to do maintenance and cleaning before the associate from Otis came for inspections and repairs circa 1983. He opened the hatch to access the elevator and was told that he should clear out everything he can junk wise.
He found keys, reading glasses, broken glass, clothes, old food, rats, spider webs and a piano. Now the piano was completely smashed and in chunks on the floor. The elevator also did not continue down to this level and stopped at the level above.
He got all the pieces out and informed management as he spent 6 hours cleaning/breaking it up to put through a small hatch. No one knows how it got there, how long it was there. It had to have been dropped down the shaft at some point. He called it his white whale and came up with several theories based on news/events of how it all went down. We have always referred to it as the Boston Mike mystery.
Image source: sxcamaro
#48
Surprisingly nothing too extreme, not an elevator tech but i am an electrician so we will find ourselves in a pit from time to time. Some ID badges, credit cards, coins. Once i found a red pen! It was out of ink tho.
Image source: americandragon13
#49
I’m a maintenance electrician, not an elevator technician. However, I was with a qualified technician during a routine inspection.
Towards the end, he sent the elevator to the top of the shaft, and forced the doors open. I don’t quite remember why, but he had to climb down into the bottom of the shaft (around 4-5 feet below ground level). Being a stocky, older man, he wasn’t in the best of shape. I climbed down the short ladder, and completed the task. Laying on the ground close to the wall was a Husky double-ended utility knife (this knife had retractable blades on both ends instead of one). The blades were rusty, but everything else was still functioning, so I got myself a cool new knife out of it.
Image source: NikkiSevenn
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