Elevator Student Was Killed In Should Have Been Replaced 30 Years Ago

It is horrible when you have avoidable deaths like this - nothing can replace a son, brother, friend, or partner, and a simple death is tough enough to handle. But when it occurs over someone being either lazy on the job or from an attempt to cut costs, what could be worse. Those most touched by his death will now have someone to blame, and that is not always easier.

RIP

Great investigative work here Corey. It's very important to have people in the press advocate and the school community should be happy to have you doing that. There's nothing like shining a light on facts; that helps everyone.

When I read the news regarding this accident it made me sad. This young man was just beginning his college life and to have it end in this manner seems senseless.

I understand that these elevators were past their prime, but aren't all elevators inspected by the State of Ohio and issued new permits each year? If so, seems to me like these elevators should never have passed the inspection. I guess we will wait for the details to be sorted out.

Corey, I wondered if you might not be reporting on this. Good job. If you need any supporting material I can email you on my experience with a Mexican elevator just last winter.

I am aware of many old but still used elevators in many places. I know that most of them, if not all, get regular inspections which are certified. I presume with proper maintenance and upgrades, elevators are safe for very long periods. I would be interested in knowing more about that 20 year life span mentioned. That sounds mighty short. I could see that figure being between major overhauls. Any idea where it came from other than as a quote from an old newspaper?

I guess the important thing to know is; would the elevator still have failed when overloaded if it was less than 20 years old?

I'd always hoped that an elevator would just stop if overloaded and wouldn't be able to move to another level until enough people got out. Perhaps newer lifts do. That would beg the question; if this lift was out of date and newer lifts are much safer why wasn't a new one installed?

I'm certainly no elevator expert, but it seems like something like an elevator should have a factor of safety of at least 2, and when an elevator fails, a back-up brake should hold it in place. (just my opinion, i have no experience with elevator design). Unfortunately, on a college campus, elevators should probably only be selected for use if they are rated to hold as many people and kegs as you can pack into them. Of course, everything is clearer in hindsight. It's a very sad chain of events. Thanks for the report.

I used to live in Morrill Tower next to stadium. The elevators there were horrifying. I hope that University officials take care of this matter.

Good work, Corey.

well good thing when I transferred to OSU I didn't have to live in the dorms.

My brother was in that building during his freshman year.

I remember those elevators. I'd like to know 2 things:

This is why I am afraid of elevators (and escalators). I can handle them, but that doesn't mean I like riding them.

Thanks for more light being shed on this matter, Corey. Love your work.

This is terrible.

I'm still inclined to say that the elevator is not all that "malfunctioned" here--these kids are in University. They should know better. And OSU needs to take better care of their elevators: in buildings like Denney, which don't see nearly as much traffic as the dorms, I am always hopeful that the clanking and grinding sounds were there when the elevator was born, but God knows they probably weren't.

Awesome reporting as always Corey, this is pretty sad stuff though.

CNN has an article posted now.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/10/24/elevator.death.ap/index.html?eref=rss_topstories

Interesting, but I'm inclined to believe that major fault sits with whoever was inspecting the elevators if in fact it is proved that they should have been retired.

With that said, i enter into this with caution as it seems pretty clear that they were way over the load limit and that he attempted to exit the elevator as it was moving to the next floor.

It seems to me as though the University will be absolved so long as they can prove that the certificates were up to date and that a load limit sign was posted. At that point it becomes an unfortunate judgment call on the part of those in the elevator. I'm sure at the time it seemed humorous to cram that many people onto an elevator but it simply illustrates why we put limits on technology that we shouldn't ignore.

Tragic -- but avoidable in more ways than one.

A very tragic event, and I agree that it was avoidable in many ways. I laugh at one of the above posts talking about obesity. Eight to ten 250 to 300lb people could get in that elevator and still stay below the maximum weight capacity. I don't even see an Intelligent connection or comparison.
As for the "bells" being installed to warn riders of the approach of the maximum capacity limit, Do you not think that common sense will tell you that 24 people crammed into an elevator is going over the maximum capacity limit? I was young once, and I know I wasn't always alert to all the dangers out there.
If the elevators were faulty, shame on OSU and they need to pay a wrongful death suit and maybe even some type of manslaughter charge should be brought against the university.

I'm still very confused as to what actually happened. I don't need extreme details, but I would like for someone to explain what happened. Was Andy pinned by the ceiling of the elevator against the floor of the 3rd floor? Is this what stopped the elevator from continuing its descent ? I saw the clip on CNN where the student saw him on the third floor. It seems to me that if this was the case more of his body would need to be out of the elevator, and then I wonder why it wasn't his hips and legs that were crushed.

I can't imagine what the students on that elevator saw. It will haunt them their entire lives especially at such a young still impressionable age.

I'll hazard a guess that older elevators aren't required to have the same bells and whistles that newer ones have (i.e. overload switch). Nonetheless, since the university acts in loco parentis, it ought hold itself & be held to a higher standard. Students do goofy dum bass things - a balcony collapse in Cincinnati some years ago comes to mind, though not on university property - & it is reasonable to expect greater precautions to be taken.

This story got to me because I have a friend whose life was drastically altered by a faulty elevator. This friend had to jump through hoops to get what is not even adequate compensation, while every responsible party covered ass with both hands.

Good work, Corey!

I read that the elevator had been tested in July and passed the test.

Which makes me wonder -- are the tests accurate or complete? Why would an elevator, that was tested two months prior, suddenly fail?

Perhaps better testing standards are in order by the elevator companies.