Maintenance worker dies after being trapped underneath elevator car in Brooklyn building

Residents tell News 12 they knew the maintenance worker as Kenny.

News 12 Staff

Mar 6, 2021, 3:37 AM

Updated 1,379 days ago

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A maintenance worker was killed on the job at a Prospect Lefferts Gardens building Friday. 
Police tell News 12 the 64-year-old man was struck by an elevator, which caused him to get trapped underneath the car. Police say he was pronounced dead at the scene. 
The Department of Buildings says that while attempting to retrieve a cellphone that had dropped into the elevator pit, an assistant superintendent of the building and a tenant had entered the elevator machine room in the basement adjacent to the elevator pit.
The DOB says the two were in the basement elevator machine room when the elevator was called to a different floor, and the assistant superintendent was caught in the moving hoist ropes and elevator sheave.
The DOB says the tenant was also injured in the incident. They say the investigation is ongoing at this time.
The man was transported to Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center, according to police.  
Residents tell News 12 they knew the maintenance worker as Kenny.
“Everyone knows him, really friendly guy, he would never let you walk in without saying good morning, goodnight - like you know, it’s just really sad,” resident Salena Smith tells News 12.