Woman Dies in Horrific Elevator Malfunction
An elevator malfunction killed a woman who was arriving for work in New York yesterday as office workers helplessly witnessed the horrifying incident. INSIDE EDITION reports.
Her death was horrific. Advertising executive Suzanne Hart was killed in an elevator mishap as she headed to work at the prestigious advertising agency Young and Rubicam on Madison Avenue in New York City. She was just 41. Here's how it happened.
As she stepped into the elevator it shot up 20 feet like a bulllet with the doors still open. Suzanne Hart fell forward, part of her body inside, part still outside. The elevator became wedged between two floors with the woman's body being crushed.
Suzanne Hart's boyfriend, Chris Dickson, who lived with her in Brooklyn Heights, is in shock.
"She was a beautiful person and I don't have words for this. I loved her," said Dickson.
Americans take more than 12 billion elevator rides every year. But today, in the wake of that horrifying freak accident, people across the country can't help but think twice before stepping into an elevator.
One New Yorker told INSIDE EDITION, "It's so, so terribly tragic and sad. I got home from work yesterday and I'm in an elevator building and I thought, 'Oh, I'll take the stairs today.' "
While elevator accidents are rare, they do happen. Just last month three 12-year old girls were almost crushed to death under an elevator at their middle school in Oklahoma. It can happen to anyone.
Comedian Jim Carrey was trapped in an elevator in Brazil on his way up to see the famous Statue of the Redeemer.
Today show host Ann Curry was trapped in an elevator in the New York Times building just last year.
The Jonas Brothers laughed it off when they got stuck in an elevator at a shopping mall in Hollywood. But after 45 minutes, their laughter turned to concern.
One unlucky man was trapped in a New York City elevator for a total of 41 hours.
Another group of people became trapped in an elevator on their way to a friend's 21st birthday party in Manhattan. One guy tried to pry his way out.
And a woman in a shopping mall in Queens, New York, became so paniced she started kicking the door to get out. That's exactly what elevator expert Patrick Carajat says you should never do.
Now, this latest tragedy is making everyone wonder, just how safe are these elevators?