Tragedy at Work - Man I knew fell 10 stories down an elevator shaft

[Howard Roark]

CityNews.ca - Toronto's News: Worker Dies & Passengers Trapped For Hours After Elevator Accident At TD Towers

Worker Dies & Passengers Trapped For Hours After Elevator Accident At TD Towers
Wednesday June 24, 2009
CityNews.ca Staff
A group of eight people were stuck in a sweltering elevator for about eight hours Wednesday, but their clausterphobic plight was minor in comparison to the tragedy that put them in that unenviable position.

It was just before 9am when an Otis elevator employee plunged as far as 10 floors to his death while attempting to make repairs at the TD Bank Tower. He fell to the bottom of the shaft, forcing authorities to cut the power.

The man has since been identified as 43-year-old Andrew Hill, a father of five. He had been working for the company for the past 9 years.


"What we've had today is an unfortunate industrial accident. A gentleman repairing the elevator has had a fatal fall," confirms Lorne Buckingham, Division Commander, Toronto Fire Services.

The incident left eight passengers stuck in one of the cars 44 storeys up. Authorities were able to speak to them to tell them what happened and ask for their patience. They apparently responded that they were fine and awaiting a rescue of their own.

One of the trapped men, a courier, was able to contact his friend from the elevator. "He said he was okay but he's just really tired because it's exhausting being around all the tragedy and everyone is really afraid," the friend relayed.

No one inside the car was hurt and while a cable holding the device was damaged, officials say there was no danger that they'd fall.

They were finally freed around 2pm.

Otis released a statement later in the day saying;

"This is a terrible tragedy, and our thoughts and sympathies are with his family. Until the investigation is completed, we cannot speculate as to what caused this accident."

In the meantime those who work in the Towers were stunned by the tragedy. "I'm very shaken because I've probably seen this gentleman walk past me so many times since we worked down here," laments Chris Pagonis, a daytime assistant manager.

"There's no words. I mean, I'll go back to work but I don't feel well. I've never heard of something like that happening before."

The Ministry of Labour responded to the Bay and Wellington St. site, and investigators are probing the mishap.

I'm pretty shooken up, I used to see this guy every morning and tell him what was going on with the elevators in my tower. The other elevator guy found him, this is just way too messed up.

[_chuchu]

That's terrible. Sorry to hear man

[Talus]

Sorry. That's a horrible thing to deal with for the kids especially but also family & friends, my condolences.

[Conrad]

Damn, what an awful way to go :/

[Norellicus]

Something similar happened at a place I used to work, electricians were laying some new wire and a previous contractor had laid down drywall as a flooring in this one workspace - right over top of a ventilation shaft (not really ventilation, just dead space/smoke escape. There was room between the drywall and the shaft in the event of a fire for the smoke to release, but the way the drywall was placed you'd never see the dead area it and it was inevitably going to collapse under the weight of anyone who walked directly over the open space).

Dude fell about 90 feet down a 30" across shaft that had all kinds of protruding screws and aluminum stud cutouts the whole way down.

Needless to say, it wasn't pretty; and we all got a talk in workplace safety the next day :X

Sorry for your loss

[Howard Roark]

my first thought was if safety had been neglected and I just can't think of how, appparently he was in the elevator pit (at the bottom) so I didn't immediately see how he could have been as injured as he apparently was

the only thing I can think of is if he perhaps opened a door a few floors up to look at where the entrapped elevator was stuck

and the thought I can't get out of my head is that this dude always seemed a little down, so ... yeah I don't really want to make that conclusion

[archibaldcrane]

"What we've had today is an unfortunate industrial accident. A gentleman repairing the elevator has had a fatal fall," confirms Lorne Buckingham, Division Commander, Toronto Fire Services.

Why are Canadians so goddamn pleasant?

[Xajii]

clausterphobic

Did you mean claustrophobia?

Canadian is no excuse!

[guartz]

this dude always seemed a little down,

yea



I'm going to hell.

[Correction]

Why are Canadians so goddamn pleasant?

Because they have respect for the actual meaning of the word 'tragic' and don't use it on every fucking thing that has ever died.

[kuronosan]

I was trying to think of something humorous to say but to be honest this is pretty awful. Sorry to hear that happened.

[Mizango]

Man that sucks Howard.

[tyven]

sorry howard

also you guys spell storeys weird

[Brill Weave]

My brother in law actually works with the elevator union here in Pittsburgh. So I'm uh, not going to show him this story. He already has issues with it as it stands. Sorry to hear it Howard.

[gamez]

Small world Howard, my dad used to be the safety auditor of those buildings about 5 years ago, though I don't think he knew this guy personally, he did however work with the TD Building and others around the continent fairly regularly.

[Plow]

man, he really got the shaft ><

Spoiler: show

yea



I'm going to hell.

Me too.

Sorry to hear, especially for the kids ; ;

[Chicomagiko]

Damn, what an awful long way to go :/

Hellbound with basket in hand.

There was a girl i worked with whom apparently committed suicide earlier today at work. 2nd suicide this year at work.

[Firedemon]

Jesus, sorry to hear =/

[Kiro]

Hellbound with basket in hand.

There was a girl i worked with whom apparently committed suicide earlier today at work. 2nd suicide this year at work.

Where the hell do you work? lmfao

[Chicomagiko]

Where the hell do you work? lmfao

A psychiatric facility.