Residential elevators recalled due to child entrapment hazard

Residential elevator recall overview: 

• Who: Cambridge Elevating and Custom Elevators recalled their residential elevators. 
• Why: The companies initiated the recalls over concerns that a young child may become trapped between the elevator’s exterior door and interior door or gate in the event of a “hazardous gap” between them. 
• Where: The recalls are nationwide. 

Cambridge Elevating and Custom Elevators have recalled their residential elevators after determining that they pose a child entrapment hazard, resulting in injury or death to young children.

The companies initiated the residential elevator recalls after determining that a young child could become trapped between the elevators’ interior and exterior doors if there is a “hazardous gap,” according to recalls published by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. 

A child who becomes trapped between the elevator’s exterior door and its interior door or gate could subsequently suffer serious injuries or death when the elevator began moving to another floor, according to the residential elevator recalls. 

Cambridge Elevating recalled around 1,700 of its residential elevators, including its Elmira and Heritage models, while Custom Elevator recalled some of the 15,200 residential elevators the company has manufactured since 2003, according to the recalls. 

Recalled Custom Elevator residential elevators built with winding drum or hydraulic drive

The recalled Custom Elevator residential elevators were manufactured with either a winding drum drive or hydraulic drives and sold to elevator contractors nationwide from between 2003 and August 2022, according to the residential elevator recall. 

The recalled Cambridge Elevating residential elevators, meanwhile, were manufactured in Canada and sold nationwide by the company and at authorized dealers from between 1991 and August 2022, according to the residential elevator recalls. 

Consumers are advised to keep young children away from the recalled elevators and to contact the companies directly to receive instructions on how to measure if there is a hazardous gap. 

Cambridge Elevating and Custom Elevator both say they will provide consumers with space guards free of charge and offer assistance on installing them, upon request.

7-year-old killed after becoming trapped in Custom Elevator residential elevator

In July 2021, a 7-year-old died after becoming trapped in a residential elevator manufactured by Custom Elevator that had been installed by a third-party company in a vacation home in North Carolina, according to the residential elevator recall. 

Cambridge Elevating, meanwhile, says no injuries have been reported in connection to its recall. 

Consumers who want more information about or assistance with the residential elevator recalls can contact Cambridge Elevating online, by email or by phone at (866) 207-6551 or Custom Elevator online, by email or by phone at (888) 443-2800. 

In January, a trio of elevator manufacturers issued a recall for 69,000 residential elevators over concerns that they could pose a serious risk of injury or death to young children who they worried could become trapped. 

Have you ever felt unsafe while riding in a residential elevator? Let us know in the comments! 

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