Guests stuck in elevators as power outage hits MGM Grand

Monday, May 11, 1998 | 4:05 a.m.

Clark County Fire Department spokesman Bob Leinbach said there were 90 elevators in the building and 26 had been cleared more than two hours after the incident began.

Leinbach's department was working with hotel security and Otis Elevator Co. officials in checking each elevator. A call was placed to each elevator phone, and that elevator was then raised or lowered by a gear system to the 21st floor, where occupants were unloaded, Leinbach said. He said 17 people had been taken off the elevators as of mid-afternoon.

Leinbach said there were two minor injuries and they were not related to the elevator problems.

MGM spokeswoman Michelle Tell said a two-inch water main broke on top of an electrical source, and the power was turned off about 1 p.m. as a security precaution. It was expected back on by late afternoon.

A backup generator kept the casino lit, although no machines were operating, according to Tell.

The hotel's restaurants were closed during the problem.

Many guests migrated to the lobby area to wait out the incident, according to Tell.

Leinbach said security officers walked the halls of the hotel as a security precaution.