On Tuesday afternoon, police and fire department personnel responded to a student housing apartment at 444 Highland Avenue on a report that someone had been trapped and crushed by an elevator. The incident occurred when three student athletes — all football players — from Champion Prep Academy boarded the elevator on one of its upper floors. Witnesses report noticing that the elevator felt like it was going to fall shortly after boarding. However, it stopped on the third floor and the door opened normally, allowing two of the students to exit before it began free-falling.
The third student was crushed between the top of the elevator and the floor of the shaft for nearly an hour, with witnesses able to see the lower half of his body dangling. It was reported that his legs were moving at first, before he lost consciousness. Police at the scene worked to control the crowd as the young man’s body was recovered from the shaft. Security personnel were reportedly ordering journalists from the property during the ordeal. Champion Prep Academy is reportedly a transition school between high school and college for athletes hoping for scholarships. The victim of the accident was reportedly from Missouri and had been in Atlanta attending the program.
The investigation into the elevator collapse is continuing to determine what caused the elevator to plunge. The property manager of the apartment stated that there were 16 students on the elevator at the time of the collapse and that the accident likely occurred because the elevator was only approved to carry up to 3,000 pounds. However, a resident of the apartment photographed the inspection certification for the elevator in July, after noticing that it was more than a year overdue for its next inspection.
Have you been injured or lost a loved one to an accident taking place on a residential or commercial property? If so, contact our attorneys to learn more about premises liability and find out if you’re eligible to seek compensation for your injuries through the courts.
