Woman killed in freak elevator accident at Manhattan offices of ad firm Y&R
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.”
A female advertising executive was crushed and killed in a Midtown building Wednesday morning when the elevator she was entering began rising.
The New York Times identified the victim as Suzanne Hart, 41, an account executive at advertising agency Y&R, also known as Young & Rubicam.
Two other people were reportedly involved in the accident in a 1920s building at 285 Madison Ave., which is near East 40th Street.
NBC New York quoted New York City Fire Department officials as saying Hart was stepping onto the elevator on the first floor when either her foot or leg became caught in the closing doors.
The car then rose abruptly, dragging her body into the shaft and killing her.
Two other women in their 20's who were also riding in the elevator were taken to New York University Hospital and treated for trauma, though they did not suffer injuries.
NBC quotes witness John Hanna as saying: "People were running and screaming 'Someone got crushed in the elevator.'"
NY1 News quoted a Y&R employee as saying: "The elevator was either next to me or one over, I heard this loud 'boom, crash,' and the whole thing kind of shaked. I got off and I didn't really think too much of it, then I heard somebody died."
According to NY1's video report, Hart died "immediately."
Hart's LinkedIn profile indicates that she was Director of New Business, Content and Experience at Y&R, where she has worked since 2007.
She was a 1988 graduate of Palos Verdes High School in Calif. and she earned a BA in Fine Art and International Relations from Knox College.
Officials from the Buildings Department and FDNY were reportedly investigating the incident.
Mediabistro quoted a statement from Y&R as saying:
This is a tragic day here.
This morning, at 285 Madison Avenue, there was an elevator accident.
We are deeply, deeply saddened to confirm that one of our employees has died.
Our focus at this moment is the well-being of our employee’s family and our larger Y&R family. As you can imagine, this is a great emotional shock to all.
We ask for your cooperation and understanding. We will, of course, release information as we learn it.
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