FDNY's heavy 'liftíng
Break wall to save hefty elevator guy
Firefighters broke through a wall inside an East Harlem NYCHA building Sunday to extract a “large patient” stuck inside an elevator, the FDNY said.
The elevator became trapped between the first and second floors of the East River Houses building at around 4 p.m. — and it took about two hours for firefighters to bring the man out through a hole about the size of a 42-inch flat-screen TV, officials and neighbors said.
The poor guy was heading down from the 10th floor with a smaller man and a washing machine, apparently exceeding the elevator’s 1,000-pound limit, according to a repair worker at the scene who wouldn’t give his name.
The other man, believed to be the victim’s father, was pulled out through the top of the elevator, according to resident Asheley Haywood.
But the larger victim could not fit through the top, forcing firefighters to break through the wall facing the elevator door.
“He’s too big — you saw the wall,” said Haywood, who called 911 when she heard the elevator’s emergency alarm ring.
The two men were helping their cousins move out of the building.
Fire officials said the elevator was in a blind shaft, which means there were no door openings, making it more challenging to access.
Firefighters also made a smaller hole on the second floor; a hatchet could be seen stuck on the fifth floor of the 10-story building.
The elevator was still out of commission more than three hours after the rescue, a piece of plyboard taped over the larger hole.
“We just want the elevator to be working again, ’ cause we’re trying to move out,” said the victim’s cousin, who would give his name only as Anthony.
His relative is doing “fine,” Anthony said.
NYCHA said it was looking into the incident.