St. Petersburg, FL – Worker crushed while removing fluid from hydraulic elevator pit

A Northdale, Florida man was fatally crushed around 10:30 a.m. on April 24, 2013, while removing oil and water from the pit of a hydraulic elevator at the TradeWinds Resort Hotel. The victim and a co-worker, who was not injured, were cleaning out the pit subsequent to an elevator inspection two days prior that noted the pit contained excessive fluid. St. Petersburg Beach Fire Chief Ernie Hand described Johnson as apparently standing halfway between the ground floor landing and the interior of the elevator shaft when the elevator descended on top of him, crushing him. The elevator may have been improperly locked out at the time of the incident. The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office and OSHA are investigating. Continue reading

Tampa, FL – Man suffers fatal fall down elevator hoistway at Tampa International Airport

Chad Wolfe, a 31-year-old auto mechanic from West Newtown, Pennsylvania, was found dead around 3 a.m. on March 15, 2013, after he apparently fell down an elevator hoistway at Tampa International Airport in Tampa, Florida. Initial reports noted that the victim was intoxicated and behaving erratically, including climbing on a tree in the airport lobby, moments before the accident occurred. The medical examiner’s report noted that the victim had an “oil-like substance” on his hands, and that the investigating detective noted that it appeared the victim “forced open [the] elevator door to gain entry into the elevator shaft.” Continue reading