Technician, 40, crushed to death between lift and shaft

A 40-year-old lift engineer was crushed to death after he got trapped between the lift and the shaft wall as the elevator began to move during repair work, in a Mulund society on Thursday.

The victim was identified as Sanjay Yadav, a Vasai resident. Navghar police have registered a case of accidental death.

The incident occurred at new PNGP Colony in Mulund (East) at noon.

Residents of the society had complained to the firm that the lift in I wing was not working properly. While Yadav was working in the space between the lift and the shaft wall, two of his colleagues were allegedly inside the lift, when it suddenly started to move.

“During the repair work, someone on another floor pressed the lift button, owing to which the lift started moving up,” said Pushkraj Suryavanshi, senior inspector of Navghar police station.

Yadav was trapped between the lift and the wall. He was rescued by his colleagues and rushed to Mulund General Hospital where he was declared dead on arrival owing to grievous injuries.

The police are investigating if the incident is a fallout of any kind of negligence, if adequate safety apparatus was provided to the workers and if necessary precautions were taken. The building is part of a rehabilitation project. Police are recording the statements of residents.