71-year-old falls down elevator shaft and dies while at work, Pennsylvania officials say

A 71-year-old man plunged to his death down an elevator shaft at his place of work, Pennsylvania officials told news outlets.

First responders received a call for help at around 4 p.m. Tuesday, May 14, from Andy’s Equipment Exchange in Erie after a man fell from the second floor while trying to get on an elevator, WJET reported.

The man landed in the basement and was pronounced dead at the scene, officials told the station.

Investigators say the man was an employee of Andy’s Equipment Exchange, which deals in commercial kitchen goods, WICU reported.

The Erie County Coroner’s Office said the man, Igor Akopyan, “clearly” died by accident, the Erie Times-News reported, adding that Akopyan walked through the elevator doors while the cab was somehow above him on the third floor.

“He opened the door to the elevator, assuming it was there, and it wasn’t,” Deputy Coroner John Maloney told the newspaper.

Investigators believe he died instantly, WICU reported.

The incident is under investigation, officials say.

Erie is a roughly 130-mile drive north of Pittsburgh.

This story was originally published May 15, 2024 at 3:26 PM with the headline "71-year-old falls down elevator shaft and dies while at work, Pennsylvania officials say."