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Woman falls down lift shaft in Starbucks

The unnamed staff member broke her pelvis and leg

Caroline Mortimer
Thursday 31 March 2016 12:20 EDT
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The coffee shop will remain closed till an investigation is carried out
The coffee shop will remain closed till an investigation is carried out (Getty Images)

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A woman has broken her pelvis and leg after falling 25ft down a lift shaft in a Starbucks.

The unnamed woman, believed to be in her 20s, fell down the shaft at the cafe in Solihull, near Birmingham, while working at a branch of the coffee chain and had to be rescued by firefighters.

Paramedics say the woman fell when she stepped into the shaft and there was nothing there.

Emergency services were called to the scene at 12:35pm and she was taken to the trauma centre at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham.

Her injuries are not thought to be life-threatening, West Midlands Ambulance Service has said.

A spokesman for the ambulance service said: "The woman had suffered probable breaks to her pelvis and leg.

"After being immobilised and having splints applied, she was taken by ambulance to the major trauma centre at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham for further assessment and treatment."

A Starbucks spokeswoman said the shop will remain closed while investigations are carried out.

She added: "We are shocked and distressed by this terrible incident and we're working closely with the authorities as they investigate how this could have happened."

Additional reporting by PA

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