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The Rhodesia Herald, January 17, 1972

A bucket of dirty water saved the life of a 47-year-old woman office cleaner trapped in a Helsinki elevator for 14 days.

Mrs Martha Sirola was near death when found by a mechanic who came to repair the lift and stuck between the ground floor and the cellar of a brewery building.

Only the water in her bucket saved her from dying of thirst, said doctors at the Meilans Hospital, where she is slowly recovering from her ordeal.

Although the alarm system was functioning and the brewery staff were passing in and out of the building using an adjacent lift no one heard her cries.

Mrs Sirola arrived at work early one Thursday morning, filled her bucket, and stepped into the lift. Then the lift got stuck, and no one missed her.

In total darkness, in the elevator cabin, she prayed while she waited for death. The brewery company has paid Mrs Sirola more than $600 for her ordeal.

The amount is her hourly wage plus overtime for the 336 hours she spent trapped in the lift.

Lessons for today

• It is always important to let people know where you are always in case of emergencies. The woman in the story was stuck in the lift for so long because she never told anyone where she was.
• Water is a precious liquid that is important to humans and other living organisms. It moistens tissues in the eyes, nose and mouth and protects body organs and tissues. It also carries nutrients and oxygen to cells.
• It is critical for companies to ensure that things such as elevators that are used on a regular basis are serviced regularly so that they do not cause inconveniences. Companies should also ensure that faulty lifts are attended to timeously.
• Business should invest in proper clocking services to monitor the movements of employees and visitors in and out of the business premises.