Elevator Falls 3 Stories in Manhattan; 22 Hurt

Source: nbcNY

Nearly two dozen people were hurt when an elevator plummeted three stories Wednesday morning in a Flatiron District building, officials said.

A call came in at 7:02 a.m. reporting an elevator malfunction at 620 6th Ave.

Shortly thereafter, the FDNY was at the scene treating the injured, officials said.

FDNY authorities said 22 people suffered non life-threatening injuries.

Read more: http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Elevator-Plummets-3-Stories-Injuries-Reported-122142184.html

22 people on an elevator isn't unusual

The elevators would be big, and old. :shrug:

now used by 3 chain stores.

...along with Filene's and TJ Maxx.

It's a lovely old building.
Frankly, I'm surprised more of that kind of thing doesn't happen in those old buildings.

with at least 30 people crammed in an elevator. I've never been claustrophobic in my life until that moment, and all I could think of was all of us falling in that little tin can a thousand feet...

In any case, nearly every place I've worked had elevators and even if they are large, when it hits lunch time, morning or evening, elevators are packed.

Mr. Otis invented elevators that were absolutely crash proof. In the late 1800's, I think?

The point is when elevators were introduced, it was decided that they must be absolutely 100% safe all the time.

I'm pretty sure elevator accidents like this are almost unheard of as a result. Elevators can still mess you up. The year before I went to college a R.A. got crushed trying to get something that fell through the crack into the basement. Plus it's possible to get stuck in them.

Free-falling in elevators is almost impossible, to the best of my addled knowledge.

-90% Jimmy

There are two kinds of elevators;traction and hydraulic. The traction elevator has an over speed device which engages a brake if it falls or goes down to fast. The hydraulic ones do not as they were deemed to be safe enough without it.
However, the hydraulic cylinders on hydraulic elevators were just sunk in the ground initially and this lead to failure caused by corrosion. I thought nearly all of these had been replaced with a new unit that has a double bottom and is set in side a pipe and protected with a special filler to prevent corrosion. Sudden loss of hydraulic pressure from rusted out cylinders can cause them to drop. There are also springs on the bottom to cushion an impact, and although they can only go up to about six floors max there have been fatalities from fallen elevators.
Never under any circumstances enter an elevator pit unless you are a trained mechanic and have the car blocked up.
I have not heard of any traction elevators falling, lately. All in all, I think elevators are safer than my living room.

just before it hit the ground in the Federal Building in San Francisco. It was full of lawyers and clerks and other people working in Judge Conti's court that day. Everyone got off, took a big gulp of air and got right back on. It was our silent consensus that dying in an elevator was better than crossing him even in any way whatsoever. lol