Cause revealed after woman gets stuck in elevator of luxury Manhattan townhouse for 3 days
UPPER EAST SIDE, Manhattan (WABC) -- There are new details about what caused a woman to become stuck in the elevator of a luxury Manhattan townhouse for three days.
The FDNY responded to 48 East 65th Street on the Upper East Side just after 10 a.m. Monday and rescued the victim, who was stuck between the second and third floors of the townhouse for the entire weekend.
The 53-year-old victim, a cleaning employee, may have been trapped there longer were it not for a courier who tried to make a delivery but got no answer, police sources say.
Inspectors with the Department of Buildings were granted access to the property Wednesday and found the elevator hoist motor had burned out and failed, causing the elevator to become stuck.
Crews did find an emergency phone in the elevator, but it was not working.
As a result of the investigation, the DOB issued a cease-use order for the elevator on Thursday afternoon as well as three violations to the property owner, which carry a total maximum penalty of up to $60,000.
The victim released a statement later Wednesday about the harrowing ordeal:
"I'd like to thank the first responders and the Stephens family for their help and support in returning me to my home and family. I am doing well. I enjoy working for the Stephens family and my feelings about what I do remain unchanged. This is a private matter and hope the media and all concerned will respect my privacy as I recover."
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