At a school I used to work at there was an elevator using a hydraulic system, with a limited lifting capacity. The maximum occupancy was clearly shown, but being a building full of teenagers such signs were often ignored.

On many occasions a large group of students traveling together (friends do like to cluster) packed it over capacity. The elevator would move part way to the next floor before a safety mechanism activated, stopping the movement and trapping all those inside.

Further trapping them, the elevator could not be turned on again without a manual reset. This required the site team open a cupboard for the hydraulics and start pulling down a giant lever. On each pull of the giant lever the elevator would move a very tiny distance upwards. After a considerable amount of time spent in pulling the lever the car could be brought to a point where the safety interlocks permitted the doors to be opened using a manual release key and the students retrieved for sentencing. Only when the elevator was empty and aligned with a floor could the pump be re-engaged and normal service resumed.

This was always entertaining for those of us on the outside listening to the muffled demands for rescue coming through the shaft.

That's an interesting story.
Trapping in the elevator, that's the most horrible thing, and also one of the reason I don't like take the elevator.

The building is now demolished, and the replacement has a better elevator. It's broken down a few times, but never trapped anyone. I think it's designed so that in the event of a fault it will be able to move under gravity alone to a safe exit position and let people out.

I don't think the trap elevator scared people much because they knew that rescue would come. They just to hammer on the walls and make enough noise for a passer-by to notice and fetch the site team.