Tag Archives: elevator

NOPD Sergeant Re-indicted In K-9 Death By Elevator Shaft Fall

Posted on October 8, 2011 by peter

Following a most unusual elevator-related accident in 2009, a New Orleans Police Sergeant has been indicted on malfeasance after the death of his canine partner.

Phantom, an NOPD K-9, died when he plunged 17 stories down the hoistway of a vacant hospital building on May 21, 2009. Initially following the accident, Sgt. Randy Lewis, Phantom’s handler, claimed that he was working with Phantom in an on-duty training exercise at the time.

However, new information surfaced that Lewis was working a private paid detail with Phantom at the time. No information was available regarding the circumstances of the fall or the reason for the open hoistway.

Read the full story at WWL.com – NOPD Sergeant Re-indicted In K-9 Death

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Milwaukee Man Dies Trying To Escape Stuck Elevator

Posted on July 5, 2011 by peter

James Greiner, a 41-year old Milwaukee man, died Monday when he tried to escape a stuck elevator in a residential building. Greiner and his friend were at the building visiting a friend, who was not home, and decided to go to the roof to enjoy the view of fireworks.

When they went to ride the elevator back down, but the elevator became stuck. Grenier attempted to pry open the cab doors and discovered that the cab was stuck between the 12th and 13th floor. He then opened the 12th floor hoistway doors and attempted to jump out of the cab to the floor below, when he apparently lost his balance and fell backwards into the open hoistway below, falling approximately 118 feet. His friend called 911 and reported that he believed his friend fell down the shaft. First responders pronounced Grenier dead at the scene.

Residents at the building reported that the elevators were occasionally problematic, but inspection records show that the elevator had been inspected just two weeks prior. An autopsy is being performed to determine if there were other contributing factors.

Read the full story (and watch the news cast) on ABC 12 WISN

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Bally’s Atlantic City Claridge Parking Garage

Posted on June 17, 2011 by peter

Bally’s Atlantic City eventually absorbed the Claridge Hotel & Casino next door, but the hotel remains somewhat independent structurally, and even has its own parking garage (which, IMO, is more convenient than the Bally’s parking garage). This is the elevator that serves 13 floors (including the rooftop) of the parking garage.

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Bally’s Atlantic City Casino Secret Elevator

Posted on June 16, 2011 by peter

Behind the main cashier’s cage at Bally’s Atlantic City is a hallway that leads to some public restrooms and private service areas. This elevator is located near those bathrooms at the end of the hall. Although it was accessible to the public, it seemed to be primarily used by casino employees. However, it only serves the 1st, 2nd, and 6th floors, skipping the 4th floor which has executive offices. When we went for a ride, there was a casino employee wearing a suit in the elevator. We had a brief conversation about the building’s elevators, but due to general sensitivity about recording devices inside casinos, I did not get to give the elevator the attention it deserved. The casino employee called this the “secret” elevator, so we couldn’t help but do the same.

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Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City Parking Garage Elevator

Posted on June 15, 2011 by peter

Taking a ride on the elevator in the parking garage at Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City. One interesting feature of these elevators that is not immediately apparent from the video is the presence of a “Door Hold” button in addition to the usual “Door Open” and “Door Close” buttons. These elevators have a very fast door cycle time – passengers have only a moment to enter and exit the elevator. Whereas the “Door Open” button keeps the doors open while continuous pressure is applied, pressing the “Door Hold” button momentarily provides at least 15 seconds of door dwell time, allowing passengers to unload their luggage without having to manually “hold” the doors by interrupting the photo sensor circuit.

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Bally’s Atlantic City Parking Garage Elevator

Posted on June 15, 2011 by peter

Taking a quick ride on the parking garage elevator in Bally’s Atlantic City. Normally these elevators are fairly clean, but this time, the elevator smelled like a discarded sandwich.

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Bally’s Atlantic City Claridge Palace Theater Secret Hydraulic Elevator

Posted on June 15, 2011 by peter

It turns out that this elevator at Bally’s Atlantic City is not intended for regular passenger use. A placard on the 2nd floor reads, “For use of elevator call #3164”. However, on the 3rd floor, near the Palace Theater box office in the old Claridge hotel, there was no sign. So we hopped on this elevator thinking nothing out of the ordinary. I then mistakenly pushed the 1st floor button and wound up in an abandoned bus station, apparently sealed off from the rest of the world. Certainly something for further investigation!

I was also concerned by the extremely slow speed of this elevator, which made it seem like it was entrapping passengers. It took nearly 40 seconds to go 2 floors. Also when it was traveling in the up direction, when it arrived at the second floor, there was a very noticeable jolt as a cavitation bubble in the hydraulic system caused a pressure drop. Cavitation in a hydraulic elevator is often indicative of low fluid levels in the reserve tank – the pump draws in air instead of fluid – which also means that this elevator is very poorly maintained and would certainly not pass a thorough inspection! Given that it is inside a casino, there are almost certainly political reasons that such an elevator would remain in service in such an unmaintained state. “Maybe it’s in bad shape, maybe it’s not.” Ya know.

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Bally’s Atlantic City Casino Floor Main Elevator

Posted on June 15, 2011 by peter

Taking a ride on one of three main passenger elevators that link the casino floor (2nd floor) at Bally’s Atlantic City with the street level (1st floor), executive offices (4th floor), and the restaurants, exhibition spaces, and poker room on the 6th floor.

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Philadelphia man celebrating 25th birthday falls down elevator shaft, dies

Posted on June 5, 2011 by peter

Police say the victim was celebrating his birthday and had been drinking throughout the evening when he left his 5th floor apartment and tried to take an older elevator to the first floor to get more of his friends. He pulled the gate opened but the elevator wasn’t there. He stepped in and plunged four floors, landing on the top of the elevator.

Read the full story via ABC6 Action News, Philadelphia, PA

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Boston Convention & Exhibition Center – The 0th Floor

Posted on March 12, 2011 by peter

A slow moving hydraulic elevator at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center that is otherwise pretty unremarkable, besides its unique floor numbering. For some reason, the exhibition floor is the “0th” floor. While it is set below ground level, it is unusual to go 0, 1, 2. Filmed at PAX East 2011, which I was attending as the official photographer for Hot Blooded Gaming.

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