The elevator system connected to the observation deck at an altitude of 350m suddenly stopped operating at 8:15 pm local time. It was not until about 2 am on February 23 that the rescue force successfully rescued all passengers.
Tokyo Skytree's operating unit said it did not record any casualties or health problems for passengers, according to The Japan Times on February 23.
Skytree Tower - a famous tourist destination - is temporarily closed on February 23 for safety checks and to determine the cause of the incident. The company announced that it will refund entrance fees to tourists who have booked in advance on this day.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, Japan and the operating unit said that the system here has 4 elevators named after seasons of the year including spring, summer, autumn and winter. The two elevators that encountered problems are "autumn" and "winter" elevators.
At that time, the "autumn" elevator was empty, but the "winter" elevator was carrying 20 passengers, including 2 children.
To rescue, functional forces lowered the "autumn" ladder to the level of the "winter" ladder, then used a stainless steel sheet to build a bridge connecting the escape doors on the sides of the two ladder rooms. Firefighters then supported 20 passengers to move through the "autumn" ladder.
The remaining two elevators, "spring" and "summer", also had to be temporarily stopped for safety checks, causing 1,200 people to be temporarily trapped on the observation deck. By 11 pm on February 22, all of these passengers had safely landed.
A similar incident occurred at Skytree's elevator in 2015 and 2017, but both times were resolved within 30 minutes. Each elevator room here is always equipped with emergency supplies including drinking water, portable toilets, blankets and flashlights.
We sincerely apologize for allowing prolonged stranding and causing psychological instability to those involved," the Skytree operating company affirmed in a statement.
Tokyo Skytree TV Tower is 634m high, currently holding the world's tallest tower record. This is a tourist destination to see the city of Tokyo with an observation deck located at an altitude of 350m.
