If you really think about it, elevators are more than a little nightmarish. There are three ways to die by elevator, but many lesser tragedies can arise from their misuse, intentional or otherwise . . .

One day, someone delivering a large package came through the lobby, unknowingly dropping packing material from a hole in the box all over [Coworker]’s lobby and one elevator. [Coworker] came to the Human Resources department to borrow their (brand-new) vacuum. About fifteen minutes later, he brought it back, apologetic that he’d broken it. The power cord was pulled apart — completely severed — about ten feet from the plug.

Me: “How did you do this to the power cord?”

Coworker: “Well… I plugged the vacuum into a power outlet.”

Me: “Yes… that’s how they work.”

Coworker: “I used the power outlet in the elevator lobby. And then I started vacuuming inside the elevator.”

I could see where this was going, but I hoped it wasn’t.

Me: “Okay…”

Coworker: “And then the doors closed…”

Yes. He LET THE DOORS CLOSE and, elevators being elevators, it headed up to the top floor — severing the cord in the process.

- Can We Sever The Cord On The Vaccum In His Brain? from Not Always Right