BALI, INDONESIA – A horrific incident unfolded at Bali’s Ayuterra Resort on Friday when a glass elevator, a favorite spot for Instagram enthusiasts, fell 300 feet into a ravine, killing five resort staff members. Local reports indicate that the cable of the elevator snapped around 1 p.m., causing the fatal plunge.
The deceased, comprising two males and three females, were identified as Sang Putu Bayu Adi Krisna, 19, I Wayan Aries Setiawan, 23, Ni Luh Supernigsih, 20, Kadek Hardiyanti, 24, and Kadek Yanti Pradewi, 19. According to Ubud Police Commissioner Made Uder, the cable was not sturdy enough to support the weight of the elevator.
The elevator, used by both staff and guests to traverse from the upper levels of the hotel to the lower-level resort facilities, was in a perilous state. The safety brake failed, causing the elevator to descend rapidly, leading to the fatal accident, Uder explained.
Bali’s Deputy Governor Cok Ace, who also heads the Hotel and Restaurant Association Bali, confirmed that he had reviewed the hotel’s safety documents. He stated that this was the first occurrence of such an incident and that the permits, especially those concerning the use and safety of work and the condition of the lift, appeared to be in order.
An independent consultant had deemed the elevator safe during a routine inspection in November 2022, just eight months before the incident. This detail will be factored into the ongoing investigation, the deputy governor added.
In the aftermath of the accident, guests at the resort have been moved to alternative accommodations while the police carry out their investigation. Linggawati Utomo, the resort’s owner, has pledged to pay for the funerals of the deceased workers.