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Tokyo Skytree Reopens After Elevator Failure as Probe Cites Cable Damage

Investigators attribute the stop to cable damage that melted a fuse, prompting roller covers alongside extra inspections.

Overview

  • Operations resumed on Feb. 26 after three days of closure, with safety confirmed for unaffected cars while the problem unit remains out of service for further checks.
  • Operator and manufacturer said a cable became entangled with a stabilizing roller, damaging it and leading to a control-panel fuse melting.
  • Contributing factors under review include the cable’s twist direction and strong winds, and countermeasures include fitting roller covers and additional inspections.
  • On Feb. 22, twenty passengers were trapped for about five and a half hours without injuries and were rescued by aligning an adjacent car and bridging the emergency doors with a steel plate.
  • Roughly 1,200 visitors were temporarily stranded on observation levels, the emergency intercom in the car did not function, the elevators are Toshiba-made, and two cars had prior stoppages in 2015 and 2017.