Wednesday, August 20, 2008

5-year-old Brooklyn boy falls to death in elevator shaft

(Tuesday, August 19, 2008) - A 5-year-old Brooklyn boy fell to his death in an elevator shaft in the building where he lived.

The boy and his 8-year-old brother were on their way to school when they boarded the elevator on the 11th floor and got stuck halfway between that floor and the one below it. The older boy becan pressing buttons and was able to open the door, and the five-year-old, identified as Jacob Neuman, jumped down onto the 10th floor, and then lost his balance and fell 10 floors down the shaft. His brother remained inside the elevator and was rescued by police and fire personnel.

The elevator had been subject to several complaints earlier this year and in 2007, according to the New York City Department of Buildings. The building was built in 1974.

The city Housing Authority also reported 5 between-floor stoppages in the past 6 months, and rated the elevator "unsatisfactory" on October 3, 2007.

26 Texas cheerleaders squeeze into elevator, get stuck

I thought I'd start the blog off on a relatively lighthearted note.

(Tuesday, August 6, 2008) - 26 cheerleaders, ages 14 to 17, became stuck after cramming themselves into an elevator at the University of Texas' Jester Hall. The elevator successfully descended from the fourth floor to the first, but the doors refused to open. It took about 25 minutes before a repairman was able to fix the door. One teen fainted and was treated and released from a nearby hospital. Two others were treated at the scene.

The teenagers were said to have ignored signs posted that warned "No more than 15 people or 3,000 pounds."