Woman is crushed to death by 'faulty' lift in tower block

Christine Allen's daughter watched in horror as she was trapped between the lift car and an outer door on the eighth floor of a tower block.

Firefighters tried to free her but she was pronounced dead at the scene in Woodford Green, east London, in the early hours yesterday.

A witness said the lift had continued to move upwards after Mrs Allen, 50, stepped inside. Her head was struck as she tried to jump out.

Her daughter, Laura Dawkins, 26, said today she had reported the "faulty" lift to Redbridge council but nothing was done.

She said: "I told the council many times that the lift was broken. It just kept breaking down and sometimes one door would open but another would close. Sometimes it was higher [in the shaft] than it should be.

"It's been out or order for about four months and all I got from the council is that they haven't got the funding.

"My mum was a lovely, bubbly person, always thinking of others before herself. I would do anything for my mum - she was my soulmate and I want justice. I'm going to move from the flat - they will have to move me. I will never set foot in that lift again."

Mrs Allen's husband Leslie, who met her when they worked for the charity Animal Help, said: "It's not hit me properly yet - I'm in shock. Laura came down and told me after it had happened and cried on my shoulder. I cried as well. According to what Laura told me, her mum was stuck between the lift door and the lift itself. There must have been something wrong with it."

Mrs Allen had just left her daughter's flat in Navestock Crescent, when the accident happened. Her friend Robert Russell, 51, said that when the doors opened on the eighth floor the lift car was not level with the landing.

He said: "Christine jumped in and the lift carried on moving up. I shouted at her to get out." He said she was crushed as she scrambled to escape. Her hands were dangling out and I just held on to them. I tried to feel for a pulse but to be honest I think it was death on impact." A card left at the scene from her grandchildren Skye, Chloe and Matthew read: "To Nanny, you are going to be missed for ever in our hearts. Whenever we see a star, we will know it's you."

Police and the Health and Safety Executive are investigating the death, but are not treating it as suspicious.

A spokesman for Redbridge council and Redbridge Homes said: "We were shocked by this tragic death. Our sympathy is with the family. Redbridge council and Redbridge Homes will be working closely with the Health and Safety Executive to find out exactly how this happened. We can't comment further during the investigation."