Laundry usually takes about two hours in the residence halls. For four people Sunday afternoon, it took a little longer.

Jonathon Kueper, a senior kinesiology/physical education major; Greg Talbot, a junior psychology major; Mike Stoffle, a junior business major and Erika Lara, a former NIU student, were trapped in the Stevenson C Tower elevator for more than an hour. They embraced freedom shortly after 4:30 p.m.

The riders got on at the ninth, seventh and sixth floors of C Tower. The four of them made their way to the basement where the laundry room is located.

They said the elevator stopped on the first floor and when it got to the basement the doors failed to open all the way. It didn’t drop — it just stopped and the doors didn’t open. Even with their hands they were unable to get the door to open more than three inches.

The University Police were first on the scene, followed by Stevenson Hall Director Tiffany Gonzales. The four were told the maintenance man who would get them out lived about an hour away.

While stuck in the elevator, they called their friends, who kept them company while waiting to get out. They brought water, a deck of cards and even joked about giving them a condom if they got a little “frisky.”

George Antonopoulos, a junior sociology major and Stoffle’s roommate, came down and grabbed clothes piece-by-piece through the elevator opening to help his friend get his laundry started.

The students complained about how much they spend on room and board and how long it was taking to get the elevator fixed.

Through the opening, Antonopoulos tried to lighten the mood: “We came to the conclusion that you’re gonna die.”

After a little more than an hour, maintenance arrived and the elevator door shut. The elevator moved up, temporarily stopping on the first and second floors. After the doors opened and shut one more time, they were let out on the fire escape on the side of Stevenson C Tower.

The four walked down the stairs with their laundry in tow, and when they came back inside Stevenson they were greeted by their friends.

“I was a little scared; I’m kind of claustrophobic,” Kueper said.

The four departed, slightly relieved, and a couple of them tried to make the best out of a humorous story. With a little hesitation, Kueper headed back up to the seventh floor — this time using the other elevator that didn’t break down.

Christopher Norman is a Campus Reporter for the Northern Star.