Thanks, At the time(not any more), I was a fire alarm tech and even had my own elevator door key (the rod with the toggle on the end). It was in my tool box, but as I recall, you can only use those from the outside.
On some of them a flat head screwdriver worked. You just put it in caught the latch from underneath and pulled up. You can also run the elevator from on top of the car. I was on one of them one time with an elevator guy that was enough for me LOL..