Man fatally crushed by elevator in Manhattan, officials say

A man died after getting stuck between an elevator and shaft wall Thursday morning in Manhattan, officials said. Photo Credit: New American Economy

A man was crushed to death by a malfunctioning elevator in his Manhattan apartment building Thursday morning, officials said.

Samuel Charles Waisbren, 30, was trapped between the elevator car and the shaft wall at about 8:30 a.m. inside 344 Third Ave., an apartment building known as the Manhattan Promenade in Kips Bay, police and fire officials said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The elevator was stuck between the first floor and the basement, according to a complaint filed with the Department of Buildings.

“The elevator hit the lobby, people were trying to exit and as he was exiting, the car moved, trapping the patient,” FDNY Deputy Chief Anthony Arpaia told NBC 4 New York.

Firefighters converge on a Kips Bay building where a man was fatally crushed by an elevator on Thursday. Photo Credit: Citizen App

There were no other injuries reported.

The building, near East 25th Street, has received multiple elevator violations and was fined $1,280 in May over a safety feature that had been tampered with or disabled, according to DOB records.

“DOB is investigating this incident aggressively and will take all appropriate enforcement actions,” the department said in a statement. “Elevators are the safest form of travel in New York, due to the city’s stringent inspection and safety requirements. We’re determined to find out what went wrong at this building and seek ways to prevent incidents like this in the future.”