Construction workers Brett McEnroe and Roy Powell were killed yesterday after falling 65 feet from the seventh floor of an Upper West Side building they were working on, and Buildings Commissioner Robert LiMandri says, "We have no evidence in detail that gives us assurance that there were safety measures in place." A stop work order now exists on the property, and the latest complaint cites, "INADEQUATE GUARDRAIL SYSTEM PROVIDED @ SHAFT NW CORNER ROOF, 3&4 FLRS STOP ALL WORK ON ENTIRE SITE COMPLY VIO CONDITIONS." more ›

Two construction workers were killed earlier today after falling 65 feet from 150 West 83rd Street, a site that was being developed for the Redeemer Presbyterian Church. The men reportedly were working on top of an elevator shaft on the seventh floor and fell to scaffolding on the third. The two were rushed to separate hospitals, and both pronounced dead. more ›

Yesterday afternoon, a 4-year-old fell two stories after falling down an Upper East Side commercial building's freight elevator shaft. The Daily News reports "her stroller tipped over as her mom pushed it into the lift, officials said," while MyFoxNY says there was a 10-inch gap that the girl fell through while she was pushing a toy stroller. more ›

A man moving into an apartment in the Bronx fell into an empty elevator shaft and died. WABC 7 reports that Joseph Ryan and his wife were carrying a mattress to the elevator: "Eyewitness News is told the elevator doors opened, but the elevator was not there. Ryan, unaware of this, backed into the elevator without looking and he fell." He was pronounced dead at St. Barnabas Hospital around 1 a.m.; police are investigating. more ›

The man who was with Jerry Fuchs during his final moments in an elevator in Williamsburg says he hasn't been able to sleep since the incident on early Sunday morning. The Daily News talked to Stephen Alessi, who was going to the same party, but didn't know Fuchs personally. He told the paper, "I tried to reach out for him. I was too far and it happened so fast, in a split second." more ›

Early Sunday morning Brooklyn musician Jerry Fuchs died after falling down an elevator shaft at 338 Berry Street in Williamsburg. As we mentioned yesterday, Fuchs was attending a benefit party there thrown by the Uniform Project, and it was around 12:30 a.m. that the manual freight elevator in the converted loft building became stuck between the 4th and 5th floors. A friend jumped off to safety, but when Fuchs followed his clothing became stuck and he fell down the shaft. more ›

At around 1:15 this morning a report came in over the newswire that a male had fallen down an elevator shaft at Broadway and Berry Street in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. A reader sent in photos shortly after, and the building the incident took place in is actually at 338 Berry, between South 4th and South 5th streets — a former noodle factory converted into various multi-use spaces, including residential lofts. The victim was at a party in the building being hosted by the Uniform Project. After the fall he was in serious condition, unconscious and unresponsive. We'll update when we get more details. more ›

The body of a blind man was found at the bottom of a Bronx apartment building's elevator shaft last night. Sheldon Scott had left his 3rd-floor apartment after a fight with his wife, the Daily News reports, and when he didn't return for hours, his wife reported him missing. According to CityRoom, that there have been four elevator-related violations at the Riverdale building on Knolls Crescent, "all addressing the same issue: removing wood from the base of a motor room door...Investigators were trying Friday to learn what led to his death, and whether the elevators doors opened when they should not have or if something else occurred, the police said." more ›

A day after the city announced it would spend $112 million to improve elevators in public housing, a woman fell 10-12 feet down an empty elevator at the East River Houses in East Harlem. Jolanda Joyce, 28, told NY1 said, "I turned around to get my phone from a friend and I opened the elevator door and I took a step and I just fell. There was no elevator there." She also said to the Daily News, "I just didn't want the elevator to come down and kill me." Joyce has severe bruising all over her body and will need physical therapy; NY1 also notes her claim is being investigated: "Sources also cited witnesses who observed Joyce and her companion forcibly opening the elevator doors when the elevator was not present." The NYC Housing Authority refused to release the building's elevator maintenance records. In August, a 5-year-old trying to escape a stalled public housing elevator fell to his death. more ›

Residents at the Wythe-Taylor Houses in South Williamsburg are sad and angry about the death of 5-year-old Jacob Neuman, who fell ten stories down an elevator shaft yesterday morning. Residents at the buildings--which are operated by the city's Housing Authority--had complained about the elevators, which had many problems, numerous times. more ›

The police are reporting a 10 5-year-old fell to his death down an elevator shaft in a Williamsburg apartment building this morning. The boy, who was apparently with a friend, fell from the 11th floor (at 70 Clymer Street), which is about 110 feet. The boy was pronounced dead at Brooklyn Hospital; according to WCBS 2, "sources believe the boy may have been trying to escape from the elevator after it became stuck." UPDATE: Apparently the boy and his 8-year-old brother were in the elevator, on their way to school, when the elevator became stuck. There have been multiple complaints about the elevators in the buildings; City Council member David Yassky said, "I cannot express the profound sadness I feel over the tragic loss of life in Williamsburg this morning. NYCHA has assured me they are working to get to the bottom of this situation, and I urge them to investigate fully what happened. For now, my thoughts and prayers are with this boy's family and the Williamsburg community." more ›