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Death toll rises to two after lift plummets at Vélez-Málaga care home
A 91-year-old man dies in intensive care overnight following elevator plunge that killed an 82-year-old woman and left four other residents injured
The death toll from Wednesday evening's elevator accident at the Séniors care home in Vélez-Málaga has risen to two after a 91-year- ... old man died from his injuries in the early hours of Thursday morning, 15 October.
His death follows that of an 82-year-old woman, who died on Wednesday night shortly after being transferred to the Axarquía Regional Hospital in Torre del Mar.
The incident occurred at around 8.30pm on Wednesday, when a lift cabin carrying six elderly residents plummeted to the ground floor for reasons that remain under police and forensic investigation.
Four residents remain in intensive care
The four surviving residents, aged between 68 and 91, remain in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Axarquía Regional Hospital, where medical staff are closely monitoring their condition.
All four survivors suffered severe leg and arm fractures alongside major trauma injuries sustained during the violent impact.
A massive emergency response brought local and national police officers, mobile intensive care ambulances, and crews from the Vélez-Málaga station of the Provincial Fire Service Consortium (CPB) to the scene to rescue the trapped occupants.
Police probe mechanical and operational history
National and local police investigators, alongside industrial safety inspectors, have been working at the facility for several hours to examine the lift mechanism, brake safety catches, and winch cables. The ongoing investigation aims to establish whether the crash was triggered by a mechanical breakdown or maintenance negligence.
The 200-bed Séniors care home is a publicly funded residential facility operating under the jurisdiction of the Junta de Andalucía's social care network, providing specialised support for dependent elderly residents.