Overview
- Police in Kempten confirmed Wednesday that a 26-year-old man was fatally trapped after a beverage cart lodged in a freight (goods) elevator during a private birthday party in Sontheim.
- A 17-year-old guest who was with the victim in the elevator was physically uninjured and firefighters used technical equipment to open the stuck cabin and free those inside.
- Authorities say the cart became jammed after the elevator moved, the cabin stopped and the man was caught between the cart and the interior, but the exact sequence that led to the fatal injury is under active investigation.
- Officials noted that goods elevators often lack the interior cladding found in passenger lifts, a difference investigators are examining along with load securing and clearance issues.
- Relatives and guests present at the party have been offered psychosocial support and police have opened inquiries to determine responsibility and whether safety or procedural changes are needed.