Tallest Tower hits trouble: Closed

After the fireworks of just a month ago the world’s tallest man made structure has gone up in smoke. Well at least one elevator anyway!

Having just been opened to the public after it’s grand introduction to the world, the Burj khalifa Dubai has been temporarily closed due to an elevator malfunction.

Reports from witnesses said that they heard “a huge bang” on Saturday and inside an elevator, 15 people were trapped for 45 frightening minutes until rescuers managed to pry open the doors.

Outside on the 124th floor observation deck, about 60 more people were stranded and some began to panic.

It was the latest embarrassment for the once-booming Gulf city-state that is now mired in a deep financial crisis, where several key projects have been put on hold, leaving the Burj as the guiding achievement and savior.

It took about 45 minutes to rescue the stranded people once rescue crews arrived and pried open the elevator door. The faulty elevator was caught between floors, so rescuers hoisted a ladder into the shaft to help those trapped inside crawl out.

The company issued a brief statement on Monday saying the viewing platform was temporarily shut for “maintenance and upgrade” because of “unexpected high traffic”.

It also hinted at electrical problems, saying “technical issues with the power supply are being worked on by the main and subcontractors”.

Read more about the shut down here.

So is the Burj worth the visit? Here’s one opinion here.

Despite the problems there’s still plenty of reasons to visit Dubai.

Been there and done it? Let us know at urbanglobetrotter@gmail.com.

See more Dubai images right here.