Shashi Tharoor gets stuck in hotel lift for 30 minutes: ‘Unconscionably late for appointments’

3 min readNew DelhiJul 18, 2026 11:59 AM IST

The Congress MP thanked the Kerala Fire and Rescue Service for its prompt response

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor was safely rescued after getting stuck inside a hotel lift in Kerala on Saturday. After the incident, the Thiruvananthapuram MP took to social media to thank the rescue team, praising the Kerala Fire and Rescue Service for its swift response.

Responding to an ANI post on X about the incident, Tharoor reflected on the unexpected delay caused by the mishap.

“Half an hour in the lift was not a major problem, though it did make me unconscionably late for my next two appointments, one with a Minister calling on me!” he wrote.

He went on to praise the rescue personnel, saying, “But I would wish to add a huge thank-you, and my highest appreciation, for the speed, efficiency and capability of the Kerala Fire & Rescue Service, who did a highly commendable job within minutes of receiving our call.”

According to ANI, Tharoor was on his way to attend a Rotary Club of Trivandrum East event when the lift malfunctioned. After hotel staff were unable to open it, the Kerala Fire and Rescue Services were called in. The team used a hydraulic spreader to force open the lift doors and brought him out. Following the rescue, Tharoor felicitated the personnel for their prompt action.

Speaking to reporters after the incident, the Congress leader said everyone involved was safe and acknowledged the rescue team’s quick response.

Watch the video:

Half an hour in the lift was not a major problem, though it did make me unconscionably late for my next two appointments, one with a Minister calling on me! But I would wish to add a huge thank-you, and my highest appreciation, for the speed, efficiency and capability of the… https://t.co/9e800hEGiv

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) July 17, 2026

“Everyone is okay. The hotel staff came first, but they could not do anything. Then they decided to call the fire force. The fire force arrived within five minutes of being called, and I sincerely thank them,” Tharoor said.

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The incident soon went viral on social media, with many users expressing relief that he was unharmed while applauding the firefighters.

“Thanks for appreciation of the work done by rescuers,” one user wrote.

Another commented, “Thank God you are fine Sir. That is why I am having cleithrophobia, couldn’t think of using elevator.”

A third quipped, “Looks like the dictionary forgot to define ‘unstoppable’ today.”