Elevator mechanics fired over New York City elevator accident that killed Suzanne Hart
The Empire State Building, New York City’s most iconic early 20th century building. The building that houses the Y&R offices, where a young executive was killed Thursday in an elevator accident, was built in 1926. The NYT quoted a former client of Y&R as saying: “They weren’t the kind of elevators that you stuck your hand in to catch the doors, because they wouldn’t stop.”
Five elevator mechanics on duty when an advertising executive was crushed to death using the lift to her New York City office have been fired.
Their employer, Transel Elevator, announced the firings after a city report said a mechanic had overridden an important safety system before Suzanne Hart's Dec. 14 death, the Associated Press reported.
Hart, 41, was an account executive at advertising agency Y&R, also known as Young & Rubicam.
(GlobalPost reports: Woman killed in freak elevator accident at Manhattan offices of ad firm Y&R)
The company didn't naming the five people, although the Wall Street Journal cited the city investigation as saying they had failed to follow "the most basic safety procedures."
A city Department of Investigation report identified them as mechanics and apprentices.
The AP cited one mechanic, Michael Hill, told investigators he overrode the safety mechanism to enable work earlier on the day of the accident. The mechanism normally prevents elevators from moving with their doors open.
"Hill insisted it was back online when Hart tried to get in the elevator."
The Daily Mail reported that the Buildings Department has suspended Transel co-owner John Fichera's license on the grounds he had failed to get the agency's okay for the elevator car to resume service after repairs. And the Manhattan district attorney's office was reviewing the city agencies' report, the paper added.
The WSJ added that the company had been elevator-servicing company hit with nearly two dozen violations.
The story you just read is available to read for free because thousands of listeners and readers like you generously support our nonprofit newsroom. Every day, the reporters and producers at The World are hard at work bringing you human-centered news from across the globe. But we can’t do it without you: We need your support to ensure we can continue this work for another year.
When you make a gift of $10 or more a month, we’ll invite you to a virtual behind-the-scenes tour of our newsroom to thank you for being with The World.