5 people died and 51 were injured in elevator accidents in New York City last year. Last year in October a man was crushed to death as he tried to escape an elevator at the Espoir Building in Brooklyn (see previous blog). Trying to escape a stalled elevator is not a good idea says the NYC Department of Buildings in a new advertising campaign being launched today. The campaign entitled “Stay Safe. Stay Put.” is designed to remind New Yorkers that if they are stuck in an elevator, the safest place to be is inside the car.
Every day millions of people use the 71,000 elevators existing in New York City. New York City elevators are relatively safe. The number of people injured in an elevator accident in the city decreased from 105 in 2007 to 51 last year.