"We're Trapped in the Laundry Room"... Three Men Escape by Ordering Four Cups of Coffee

Asked the Delivery Rider to Help Them Escape Instead of Calling 119
Thanked Him with an Extra Cup of Coffee Ordered in Advance

The ingenuity of painters who escaped from an apartment laundry room where they had been trapped while working by ordering coffee has become a hot topic.

Paint workers trapped in an apartment laundry room escaped safely by ordering coffee and asking the delivery driver to open the door. Screenshot from Threads, “@heoxxnn”

On November 13, a story was shared on several online communities and social media about three painters who became trapped in a laundry room on November 10 while painting an apartment in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province. The door closed, and because its lock was on the outside, they could not open it from inside.

One of the workers, identified as A, shared a photo showing what happened, saying, "We weren't taking a break from work; we were unable to get out." The photo showed three men looking dejected. One of them, in particular, was sitting in a chair with his head bowed and a hand on his forehead, appearing frustrated, which made the situation all the more poignant.

After considering options such as calling 119 or contacting the apartment management office, they decided to use a delivery app. They thought of having coffee delivered as a way to get help without inconveniencing anyone else. They ordered four cups of coffee and wrote in the delivery instructions, "We're trapped on the veranda. Could you open the door for us?"

A short while later, the delivery driver arrived with the coffee, saw the instructions, and opened the laundry room door, allowing the workers to get out safely. A said, "The delivery guy came over with a big smile, as if he was wondering whether to open the door or not," adding, "Since we'd ordered four cups of coffee in advance, we gave him one as the price of our escape."

People who heard the story responded with comments such as, "They left 119 available for patients in urgent need and came up with such an ingenious solution," "After seeing only people who treat 119 like an errand service, this story warms my heart," "That was really clever. The delivery driver earned money and got a cup of coffee as a bonus, while the customers got out of a dangerous situation. It's a win-win," "The smartest and fastest way to escape," and "You should always keep your phone with you." Some people also joked, saying, "The delivery driver should have left the coffee at the door, taken a photo, and left," and "If he hadn't opened the door, what would they have ordered next?"

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.