The record-breaking heat wave that smothered Toronto last week did more than just make us sweat – it left nearly 100 people trapped in elevators across the city, creating a surge in emergency calls that stretched first responders thin.
Toronto Fire Services responded to a staggering 92 elevator rescue calls between Tuesday and Thursday, when temperatures soared past 40°C with the humidex. The calls peaked on Wednesday with 37 rescues in a single day, nearly double the daily average.
“I was trapped for almost 45 minutes,” recounts Mei Zhang, a financial analyst who became stuck in her office building elevator near Bay Street. “The heat built up so quickly. By the time firefighters arrived, it felt like a sauna in there.”
Technical experts point to a perfect storm of factors that caused the dramatic increase in elevator failures. Toronto’s aging infrastructure, combined with extraordinary power demands from air conditioning systems, created voltage fluctuations that affected elevator operations citywide.
“When we hit these extreme temperatures, our electrical grid gets strained to its limits,” explains Carlos Mendes, an elevator maintenance supervisor with over 20 years of experience servicing Toronto’s high-rises. “Older buildings with outdated systems are particularly vulnerable.”
The Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA), which regulates elevator safety in Ontario, issued an emergency advisory midweek urging building managers to increase maintenance checks and ensure cooling systems for elevator mechanical rooms were functioning properly.
Toronto Hydro confirmed the heat wave pushed power consumption to near-record levels, with Wednesday’s usage peaking at 4,628 megawatts – just shy of the all-time record set in 2006.
For those rescued, the experience was harrowing. Downtown resident Jamal Williams described being trapped with three strangers in a condominium elevator for over an hour. “We were taking turns sitting on the floor to conserve energy. The heat was unbearable, and one woman started feeling faint before firefighters could get us out.”
Toronto Fire Captain Miguel Rodriguez, who participated in multiple rescues during the heat wave, emphasized the added urgency these calls carried. “In normal conditions, being stuck in an elevator is inconvenient. During extreme heat, it quickly becomes a medical emergency.”
Rodriguez noted that rescue teams prioritized calls involving vulnerable populations, including the elderly and those with medical conditions. In several instances, paramedics were dispatched alongside firefighters due to heat-related health concerns.
Property managers across Toronto are now reassessing their emergency protocols. The Greater Toronto Apartment Association has called for immediate reviews of elevator cooling systems and backup power capabilities before the next heat event.
Urban resilience experts warn this may be the new normal. “As climate change intensifies, our infrastructure faces challenges it wasn’t designed to handle,” says Dr. Amara Singh, an urban planning professor at Toronto Metropolitan University. “Buildings constructed decades ago need significant upgrades to withstand these new environmental stresses.”
For residents and workers, the elevator incidents serve as a stark reminder of heat wave preparedness. Emergency officials recommend carrying water and a charged phone when using elevators during extreme weather events.
The city’s Office of Emergency Management has announced plans to include elevator safety in its extreme weather preparedness campaigns moving forward.
As Toronto recovers from last week’s scorching temperatures, the conversation has shifted toward long-term solutions. Building code advocates are pushing for updated regulations requiring more robust cooling systems and backup power for elevators in all multi-story buildings.
Until then, Torontonians are left hoping the next heat wave doesn’t leave them suspended between floors in a metal box rapidly becoming an oven.
