History, trivia
The Lady Who Survived 1000 feet Elevator Fall
She cheated death twice on the same day
Source: Public domain
During the final months of World War II, on Saturday, July 28, 1945, Lt Co William F. Smith Jr. crashed his B-25 Mitchell bomber into the then tallest building — Empire State Building. Smith was disoriented by the fog and when he asked for clearance to land, turned right instead of left after passing the Chrysler Building.
Fourteen people succumbed to death and one Betty Lou Oliver suffered severe injuries. Betty was serving her last day in her job as an elevator operator.
The First Escape
Source: Public domain
Betty was thrown from her elevator car on the 80th floor where the bomber plane crashed between 78th and 80th floors.
The impact was so immense that it left an 18-by-20-foot hold in the building. The structural integrity of the building however remained intact.
She suffered severe burns; thanks to prompt attention from the medical staff she was rushed to an elevator for rescue while an ambulance waited on the street downstairs.
