Man Crushed by NYC Elevator in Graphic Footage Captured at Manhattan Building

Tragedy struck in New York City this week, as a man was crushed by an elevator in a Manhattan building while the graphic footage was captured on camera. Per the New York Post, 30-year-old Sam Waisbren was stepping off the elevator with some other individuals, when the machine continued lowering and crush him between its roof and the floor. The terrible accident took place at the Manhattan Promenade — which is located on Third Avenue near East 25th Street — around 8:15 a.m. In the clip, and man can be seen exiting the elevator, and then as Waisbren attempts to exit as well, the elevator continued to drop.

A worker in the building — who witnessed the incident and requested to remain anonymous — spoke about what happened in the “awful” situation, saying, “The guy literally was trying to climb out onto the floor while the elevator was still [moving down].”

“His initial reaction was to put his arm out . . . so he could get off,” the building worker went on to share. “At that point, the elevator took him down. Jumping out [of] the car while it’s still moving, you just don’t want to do it.”

Additionally, there were five other people in the elevator when it fell, and those people had to be rescued by firefighters.

“Some people were still left down in the car after it moved down in the basement,” New York Fire Department Deputy Chief Anthony Arpaia said. “The FDNY had to work really hard to get the car moved.”

There have been questions regarding the maintenance and safety regulations of the elevator, in the wake of the tragic incident. The New York Department of Buildings was present for investigations into the accident, but stated that they have no formal complaints on file for that specific elevator, though one resident of the building, who also declined to be identified did tell reporters that the elevator was always a concern.

“They always jump between floors,” the resident said. “It’s like that Halloween-night thing when you’re in that scary elevator that hops up and down. It’s really bad.”

“It’s sadly not shocking and sad that it wasn’t addressed sooner,” someone else added. “A life could have been saved. It shouldn’t have to take someone dying to have a management company realize there’s an issue with our elevators.”

Waisbren’s father, Charles Waisbren, has since spoken out on his son’s death, saying, “He was a wonderful young man. He had millions of friends out in New York. He was loved by everybody. We are absolutely devastated.”We are absolutely devastated.”

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