Safety fears as Chinese woman found dead after being trapped in lift

In scenes straight from a horror movie, a Chinese woman has been found dead a month after apparently being trapped in a malfunctioning lift.

Now the case has sparked a public outcry in the country over the everyday death traps caused by lax building management.

The 43-year-old woman, identified only by her surname Wu, was stuck between the 10th and 11th floors of her apartment building in Xi’an when the elevator broke down.

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Two repairmen turned off the power to the lift on January 30 without opening the doors to check it was empty, then went on their lunar new year holidays, according to reports citing government officials.

Wu’s body was discovered only on March 1, more than 30 days later, when other workers went to the building to repair the lift.

Amid speculation that Wu, who lived alone on the 15th floor, died of dehydration or starvation, the case has prompted criticism and soul-searching in China about sloppy workmanship and societal isolation, with no-one reporting Wu as missing.

Local authorities said they had arrested two maintenance workers and were investigating the case.

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