At least one law enforcement officer was injured in an elevator collapse in Brooklyn on Monday, May 10, 2021. The freight elevator was holding approximately two dozen federal and local law enforcement officials.
The accident occurred around 10:00 a.m., in a building on 34th Street in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. The freight elevator collapsed, dropping at least one floor to the basement level of the building. An officer who was inside the elevator noted that there was a “hard drop” and a “hard jolt.” Of the two dozen elevator occupants, at least one has been reported injured thus far: a detective for the NYPD was taken to NYU Langone Hospital with complaints of back pain.
The Department of Buildings (DOB) is investigating this accident. The building in which the elevator collapsed is meant to become the new office space for the NY/NJ Regional Fugitive Task Force and the U.S. Marshals Service.
We hope the injured officer makes a full and speedy recovery, and that the rest of the officers involved remain uninjured.
Elevator collapses are serious. Many New Yorkers use elevators every single day, when commuting to and from their apartments or office buildings. Many workers also often use freight elevators to transport large amounts of goods. In fact, the Department of Buildings reports that New York City passenger elevators make over 35 million passenger trips per day. New York’s elevators need to be functional, at the very least.
In order to make sure elevators run safely, the Department of Buildings requires that elevators be inspected twice every year. In addition to that, they must go through an in-depth inspection (which includes load tests) every five years. If any building owner does not comply with inspection rules or fails to properly maintain their elevator, they can be fined or be assigned other penalties.
Although the exact cause of the Brooklyn freight elevator collapse is unknown, what is clear is that elevators should not malfunction like this. Elevator passengers should feel confident when they step inside that they will reach their destination without incident. If someone is injured in an elevator accident that could have resulted from another party’s negligence, they may be able to take legal action.
If you or a loved one has been injured in an elevator accident, the personal injury attorneys at Block O’Toole & Murphy understand your pain and confusion. We have obtained results for clients in numerous elevator accident cases, including:
- $7,200,000 settlement in a wrongful death case for the family of a 25-year-old Brooklyn man who fell 50 feet from a misleveled elevator
- $7,000,000 settlement for a worker who needed nine surgeries after he fell 30 feet down an elevator shaft
- $5,500,000 settlement for a truck driver who suffered multiple injuries after he was struck in the head, neck, and back by a freight elevator’s closing metal gates
- $4,000,000 recovery for a union elevator erector who sustained knee and elbow injuries after falling through a hole at his work site
Call 212-736-5300 or fill out our contact form to schedule a consultation with an experienced attorney today.