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NEWS

Worker falls to death down elevator shaft

Michael Risinit
mrisinit@lohud.com

MOUNT VERNON – Authorities are investigating how a 28-year-old construction worker fell to his death in an elevator shaft inside a Gramatan Avenue building.

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The Westchester Medical Examiner's Office on Thursday hadn't yet identified the victim, but said he suffered blunt force injuries and skeletal fractures as a result of the Wednesday evening fall. He was part of a crew apparently doing unauthorized work on the roof of 6 Gramatan Ave., city officials said.

The worker, who officials said was from New York City, was putting away his tools when he broke through a screen covering the shaft. In a statement Thursday, Mayor Ernie Davis said the man tumbled several stories, landing on the elevator car. Co-workers had brought the man to the roof by the time paramedics arrived. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The city said it had issued a permit to Global General Construction Inc. for masonry repairs on the building's facade. A preliminary investigation showed the roof work to be outside the permit's activities, Davis said.

A message left at a Bronx office for Global wasn't returned Thursday evening.

The five-story building it near City Hall and the Police Department headquarters. According to an online real estate listing, it houses a law office, Planned Parenthood and a McDonald's restaurant, among other entities, and contains three elevators.

The city issued a stop-work order after the accident until investigations by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and city police can be completed.

Staff writer James O'Rourke contributed to this report.