Here are Recent Elevator Accidents, Injuries and Deaths:
Stirling Moss Injured in Elevator Fall Accident
March 2010
Stirling Moss, a well known fixture of the British and world wide automotive racing scene was injured in an elevator accident . The elevator doors opened, and Mr. Moss stepped into an open elevator shaft and fell 3 stories resulting in injuries to his feet, ankles and legs. The elevator should not have been accessible when the car was not in place.
Two Sheriffs Seriously and Permanently Injured in Elevator Accident
March 2010
Two officers with the Bergen County New Jersey Sheriff's Department have filed an injury lawsuit that names both Bergen County and an elevator maintenance company. The two men were injured in an elevator accident at the Hackensack Courthouse last year.
On the day of the accident, the officers got into the shaky elevator at the fourth floor at the courthouse. Suddenly, the elevator shook and fell. The two officers were trapped for about 15 minutes before they were rescued. Both officers were seriously injured in the accident and still suffer from the effects of those injuries. The first officer required spinal surgery to treat a back injury. He has since retired. The second officer suffered lower neck and back injuries that continue to plague him. He continues to be out of work.
The day the two officers were injured in the elevator was not the first time that someone had been injured riding it. In June 2008, two judges boarded the elevator to go down to the first floor. The elevator suddenly began to rumble and fell. In yet another incident that occurred in 2009, another sheriff's officer suffered serious injuries when the same elevator fell several floors, leaving them with back injuries. That officer was unable to return to work and had to take early retirement.
Man Crushed to Death by Elevator
March 2010
A New York City man was killed when he became wedged between the elevator car and the shaft.
Scotts Miracle-Gro Employee Killed in Elevator Accident
January 2010
An employee of the company was killed in a freight elevator accident when he was pinned beneath the elevator on the ground floor at the Marysville, Ohio facility. The accident is still under investigation.
The company has clarified the original report claiming that the equipment involved was a commercial conveyor. Conveyor accidents often result from clothing being caught on the equipment, dragging the victim into it causing serious injury and sometimes death.
Child Injured in Fall When Elevator Doors Open into Empty Shaft
January 2010
A child in Atlanta pushed on the elevator door in a MARTA transit station. The door unexpectedly opened and the child fell approximately 15 feet onto the roof of an elevator car. Fortunately the child was only slightly injured and was quickly released from the hospital. Elevator doors are usually secured by gibs, which sit below the doors to prevent them from opening into the shaft or "hoist way". If the gibs are not properly maintained or are worn a failure can occur. In this case the family was extremely fortunate that the fall did not result in serious injury or the wrongful death of the child.
Death When Elevator Stops Between Floors
November 2009
A drummer for an Athens Georgia indie-rock band fell to his death early Sunday when he tried to jump from a freight elevator at a Brooklyn fundraiser. When the elevator stopped above the fifth floor, Fuchs and a friend opened the door and tried to jump the 3 to 4 feet separating the elevator from the fifth floor, according to news reports. A piece of Fuchs' clothes caught on the elevator, and he plunged down the shaft to his death. His friend landed safely. Elevators can stop in between floors and exiting the car can often result in serious injury or death. Wait for the proper emergency personnel to ensure your safety and that of your companions.
