Most lifts have a steel cable from the car to the top of the liftshaft
where it has multiple turns around a pulley on the motor shaft and then
is connect to the counterweight running in the shaft next to (and in
the opposite direction to) the lift car (yes I had a look in that room
that says "danger - do not enter"). Lift problems are often about the
large number of safety interlocks, and I'd expect one on the escape
door on the roof of the lift car too.