Sunday, February 19, 2017

A contract worker died in an elevator shaft at Tallahassee Memorial Health Care's Professional Office Building



 


Worker killed in elevator shaft
 


Worker killed in elevator shaft


By WCTV Eyewitness News; Lanetra Bennett |
  Fri 5:09 PM, Feb 17, 2017 |


  By: Lanetra Bennett
February 17, 2017


Photo: Charles Mobley

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) -- A contract worker died in an elevator shaft Friday morning. It happened at Tallahassee Memorial Health Care's Professional Office Building. That's located at 1401 Centerville Road.

The Tallahassee Fired Department says the man was 60-year-old Robert Myers.

Several firetrucks, ambulances, and police officers lined the street and the parking lot outside.

Tallahassee Laura Carmichael said, "I think it's very sad. Here he was doing his job helping out other people, and some unforeseen accident just caused him to lose his life."

Firefighters say they were initially called to TMH because three people were trapped inside an elevator. They manually pried opened the elevator door, and the people walked out unharmed.

But that's when, they say, they realized the contract worker was missing.

It took specially trained firefighters with the Florida Urban Search and Rescue Team, heavy equipment, and several hours to get his body out of the shaft.


CAPT Mike Bellamy, the spokesperson for the Tallahassee Fire Department, said, "It did take us some time to gain access to that area because, number one, it's a confined space. It's a vertical space, so we had to use some ropes to lower our personnel down in there."

Hospital administrators say the contract worker was already there working on a prior employee request to fix the elevator.

TMH Vice President & C.F.O. Bill Giudice said, "We are heartbroken and saddened that there was a death involved with a maintenance worker. We at TMH extend our heartfelt condolences to the family of the victim, his friends, his co-workers."

Authorities have not released a specific cause of death. The investigation is still open at this time.

Update: 5:05 p.m.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) -- The Tallahassee Fire Department has identified the contractor found dead in an elevator shaft at Tallahassee Memorial on Friday as 60-year-old Robert Myers.

The cause of death remains under investigation.

Update: 11:30 a.m.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) -- Tallahassee Fire Department officials say a contractor has been found dead in an elevator shaft on the Tallahassee Memorial Hospital campus.

TFD responded to the call at the hospital's professional office building around 7:20 a.m. Friday. Cpt. Mike Bellamy says an elevator had been stuck between the ground and second floor. Three people were safely evacuated from the elevator and were uninjured but a contractor was believed to be in the elevator shaft.

Bellamy told WCTV that the contractor was found dead and his body has since been removed. Officials have not released his identity.

No further details are available at this time. WCTV will update this story as more information becomes available.

8:15 a.m.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla (WCTV) -- The Tallahassee Fire Department is working to find a contractor they believe is in an elevator shaft on the campus of Tallahassee Memorial Hospital.

Cpt. Mike Bellamy of TFD says the rescue is at the hospital's professional office building at 1401 Centerville Road. Crews responded around 7:20 a.m. Friday.

Bellamy said that the elevator had become stuck between the ground and second floor while three people were inside. Those people were evacuated safely and didn't suffer any injuries, but a contractor working on the elevator was inside the shaft at the time and is still unaccounted for as of 10:20 a.m.

The building is currently closed and firefighters are still trying to access the area where they believe the contractor is located.

Caroline Ross with TMH public relations told WCTV that the hospital is currently working to manage and assess the situation.

WCTV is at the scene and will update this story with more information as it becomes available.