New York Personal Injury Attorneys BlogWorker Crushed by Falling Dumbwaiter in Midtown Manhattan: A Stark Reminder of Elevator and Dumbwaiter Maintenance Dangers
A 32-year-old worker was seriously injured Tuesday afternoon when a dumbwaiter he was servicing suddenly plummeted and landed on him inside a Midtown Manhattan building. The incident, which occurred around 12:30 p.m. inside a private social club on East 54th Street between Park and Lexington Avenues, highlights the very real dangers that elevator and dumbwaiter technicians face when safety protocols are ignored or when equipment is not properly maintained.
According to FDNY officials, the victim was in the pit beneath the dumbwaiter cab inspecting hoist cables when the car, which had been positioned three stories above, fell and crushed him. First responders attempted to lift the dumbwaiter, but the structure was unstable. Emergency crews instead breached walls on either side of the shaft to free the trapped worker. He was conscious and alert during the rescue but sustained multiple trauma injuries and was transported to a nearby hospital.
