A worker is in critical condition after being crushed by an elevator in Manhattan Wednesday morning, according to a Fire Department spokesman.
The man, believed to be an elevator mechanic, was pinned under an elevator in the basement shaft of 380 Lafayette St. at 11:04 a.m., according to the spokesman.
Rescue crews used a hoist on a ladder to raise the elevator up and pull the worker, who was tangled in wires and other debris, out to safety, the spokesman said.
The man, whose identity was not released, was taken to Bellevue Hospital with life-threatening injuries, according to the Fire Department.
Though further details on the incident were unclear, the International Union of Elevator Constructors Local 1 responded by calling for the passage of what’s known as the Elevator Safety Act, state legislation that would set minimum education and training standards for elevator mechanics.
“Today’s accident requires the immediate attention of our elected officials in Albany to pass the Elevator Safety Act once and for all,” said Lenny Legotte, business manager for the union, in a statement. “Increasing the safety of all New Yorkers either working on or riding in elevators should be an immediate priority to prevent accidents like the one today from happening again.”
