He fell into the shaft. I mean really?
Those things are absolutely amazing in busy buildings like universities. Where you have an extreme throughput in short intervals. I studied in a 15 story building and even with 4 big elevators you had to wait forever during rush time.
Here you can see one working in the Goethe University in Frankfurt. Sadly, now you need a "drivers license" to ride the damn thing and are only allowed to use it alone. https://youtu.be/zFikKlHHCbw?t=20
Ski lifts are more dangerous.
edit: used to* apparently after they were made fun of by extra3 they got rid of the paternoster police and drivers licenses.