An unsettling incident where a man witnessed his wife’s fatal elevator accident has been recorded by CCTV.
The footage, captured on October 9, is from a security camera in an apartment building located in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
In the video, Adriana Maria de Jesus, aged 45, can be seen heading to her job by taking the elevator, where two other men join her.
After one of the men shuts the elevator’s gated sliding door, Adriana presses a button to descend.
Shortly after, the elevator malfunctions while at the fifth floor, hurtling down at a rapid pace.
The clip shows a frightened Adriana raising her hands as the elevator descends uncontrollably. She then vanishes into a cloud of smoke that forms when the elevator hits the ground.
Adriana suffered critical injuries on August 6 and unfortunately succumbed to them days later in a hospital.
The other two men with her in the lift survived after receiving medical attention for their injuries.
Her spouse, Gildelio Alves do Santos, who worked as the building’s concierge, witnessed this tragic event unfold through his security monitor.
He reportedly stated: “I watched the monitor screen and saw my wife going up and everything was normal.
“When it came down I was horrified.”
He added: “My heart is broken. I have to find the strength to work and to get on with life because I have to work.”
According to him, they were childhood sweethearts who got married after reconnecting 28 years later.
He expressed: “We met again and had the chance to live this childhood love for six years.”
Reports indicate that despite the incident occurring two months prior, the investigation into the event has barely commenced.
Local media also noted that the involved elevator dates back to when the apartment complex was constructed 60 years ago.
The Sao Paulo Department of Public Security confirmed that they are investigating the case as a suspicious death and bodily injury.
A Department spokesperson said: “We are seeking evidence and listening to witnesses in order to clarify the facts.”
Reports mention that the engineers contracted for the building, Atlas Schindler, are collaborating with the police investigation and have advised the building owners to consider upgrading the elevator.
In a similar incident from August, a mechanic in Thailand was fatally crushed by a falling elevator.