The attached images are from a site in Melbourne in 2025. I believe it is one of the most sobering image of the year.

The lift is for cars to take them from Basement levels 1 and 2 to ground level. The driver drove straight through the closed lift doors. The front wheels of the car landed on top of the lift cabin. The lift cabin also had a car and passenger inside.

Apart from the stress of the situation, and extracting everybody safely, all ended well as no one was hurt. This could have been significantly worse if the lift cabin had not caught the car crashing through the doors!

The lift company and emergency services were perplexed as to how someone could drive through closed lift doors?

An issue such as this is not only dangerous but will likely result in the lift being out of service for months until the repair can be completed. Initially, cars can be extracted under lift mechanic supervision without lift doors being fitted. The car owners then have to find alternative parking until the lift can be fully repaired, possibly many months.

If the building only has one car lift, then this will be a major problem for the car owners as well as being a major expense.

This situation should cause pause for those considering purchasing an apartment in a building reliant on a single car lift!

Published: January 8, 2026