The most telling thing about the incident at the Burj Khalifa tower in Dubai last Saturday is what is not being “told” about it.
According to reporter Kevin Scott, a reporter for Gulf News, who we reached and who vouched for his account, an elevator full of passengers got stuck on its way to the 124th floor observation deck of the 160-story building Saturday night.
According to accounts, a bang was heard, smoke billowed, and those onboard had to make it out of the shaft via a ladder. Those folks and those stranded on the observation deck eventually made it back to “earth” courtesy a service elevator.
Fox News reached the management company which runs the building. The most they would tell us was the deck was closed due to “maintenance upgrades.”
Dubai’s Civil Defense office was reached. They acknowledge only that there was an “incident” Saturday night.
The Dubai police were not playing ball.
The Chicago-based firm, Skidmore Owings Merrill, which was the architect and structural designer of the building, deferred to their client.
Even a Virginia-based telcoms firm, whose employee was one of the few on-the-record witnesses, begged off allowing their man to go on the record in any way that might seem derogatory.
As for the state-run media in Dubai, according to our contacts on the ground, this was a non-story.
But the fact is there was apparently a life0threatening accident high p in this new structure. And according to reports, its the second time an elevator has gotten stuck in the month since the building opened.
But the stakes for Dubai are high. Having seen its real estate bubble burst and its debt pile higher than the Burj, there is a lot riding on this new landmark.
Apparently authorities there are anxious for nothing to rock its foundations. And those dependent on the place are willing to play along,
Despite the distress of many visitors to the place this past weekend.