Man Falls Down Elevator Shaft In Historic Building
By Theodore Parisienne Posted – 6:34PM
A 49yr old man operating a freight elevator inside the historic Puck Building at 281 Mulberry Street in Manhattan is lucky to be alive after he stepped into the open elevator shaft on the first floor and fell to the basement.
The man, who could be heard groaning in pain as he was brought out of the building by firefighters and loaded into an ambulance, was rushed to Bellevue Hospital for treatment. The extent of his injuries are unknown at this time.
According to a spokesperson from the New York City Department of Buildings, the man used what is known as a ‘Drop Key’ to open the elevator hoistway doors before his fall.
The man was not authorized to use the ‘Drop Key’, says the Department of Buildings, which is only to be used by Elevator Technicians and Emergency Responders. The DOB has issued a Violation to the owner of the building for ‘Failure to Safeguard the Elevator’. The elevator itself was not found to be defective.