Mumbai: Technician Dies After Trapped in Elevator Shaft During Maintenance in Santacruz

Mumbai, 25th December 2024: A 25-year-old technician tragically lost his life after becoming trapped in an elevator shaft during maintenance work at a multi-storey building in Santacruz East on Tuesday.

The incident took place at the 13-storey Fortune Heights building in Shivaji Nagar between 4:30 pm and 5:00 pm. The technician, identified as Ranjit Nirahu Gaud from Vasai, was performing maintenance when the accident occurred. A police officer revealed that Gaud was inside the lift when he became trapped between the floor slab and the lift car on the first floor.

Gaud was rescued by the fire brigade and a colleague who was outside the lift at the time of the incident. He was rushed to V.N. Desai Hospital in Vile Parle West, where he was declared dead. Gaud was employed by Sunray Elevator Company.

Prakash Khandekar, Senior Police Inspector at Vakola Police Station, confirmed that an accidental death report had been filed. “We will consult a technical expert to understand the cause of the accident before determining any further actions or filing a case,” Khandekar added.

Investigation officer Dole shared that Gaud had worked with the company for about a year and a half. Gaud and his colleague were on site from 12 pm to 5 pm. The lift was not functioning, so Gaud instructed his colleague to check the lift’s status on the first floor while he assessed the ground floor. When the colleague reached the first floor, he heard a loud noise and rushed downstairs. The watchman informed him that the lift had suddenly moved up, trapping Gaud inside. Efforts to rescue Gaud were unsuccessful, prompting the police and fire brigade to be called for assistance.