Local

Charlotte woman who uses wheelchair says she was stuck in apartment building during fire alarm

CHARLOTTE — There are some serious safety concerns inside of a midtown Charlotte apartment complex.

A resident who uses a wheelchair told Channel 9′s DaShawn Brown that a fire alarm went off, but she couldn’t get down from her apartment because the elevator wasn’t working.

“It’s scary being in this building sometimes, especially when an alarm goes off,” she said. “Sometimes I fear for my life when the alarms go off because I don’t know if I’m going to be able to get downstairs or not.”

The latest incident happened Sunday, but the resident said that was not the first time the elevator didn’t work.

Inlivian, the company that runs the facility, told Channel 9, “When an alarm is triggered, the elevators automatically go to the first floor, which is a standard safety protocol for elevators.”

If there’s a fire, Inlivian says: “Those who are in wheelchairs are supposed to stay in lobby areas, stay on their floors or close to a stairwell, and/or call 911. Others need to use the stairwell if they are able to go downstairs.”

The elevators in the building were last inspected on May 20, according to an inspection report provided by Inlivian.

>> In the video at the top of the page, Brown took the safety concerns directly to the Charlotte Housing Authority, which manages the property meant for people with disabilities.

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