Six people, including a pregnant woman, have survived an 84-floor plunge in an elevator in one of the tallest buildings in Chicago, USA.

The express elevator fell from the 95th to the 11th floor in the skyscraper formerly known as the John Hancock Center early on Friday morning.

The elevator fell after two of its cables broke; however, cables still attached to the cabin prevented it from hitting the ground.

The passengers, who were trapped inside the cabin, texted friends who in turn called the Chicago Fire Department emergency services who managed to free them after three hours,

Fire officials reportedly said that a snapped "hoist rope" caused the incident.