Firefighters rescue man with scooter after he fell down an elevator shaft downtown

A man was to hospital after falling with his scooter down an elevator shaft at a downtown Toronto apartment building on Thursday morning.

Emergency crews were called to the building at 248 Simcoe Street, near Dundas Street West and University Avenue, at around 10:30 a.m.

“A gentleman was in a wheelchair and he fell from the third floor through the elevator doors to the basement,” Toronto Fire Platoon Chief Kevin Aucoin said. “So he fell approximately about 45 to 50 feet on his scooter, on a power scooter, down to the base of the elevator shaft.”

A mother and daughter told CTV News Toronto that they heard a “horrible grinding” and screaming.

“The door wasn’t open at that point,” said Halle Borland. “We thought maybe he was stuck inside and hurt but when it opened and he wasn’t in there, it got worse.”

“For the first time in my life, I heard human suffering,” Kristin Miller said.

The pair blocked the doors so the elevator until emergency crews arrived.

Aucoin said the man’s scooter was “broken up” and lying on top of him.

Firefighters were able to access the man relatively quickly, where they secured him in a harness and pulled him out.

“He was conscious. He has a compound fracture of one of his legs,” Aucoin said.

“To be frank, I’m surprised he didn’t get killed or more hurt than what he is.”

The victim, whose age is not known, was taken to hospital for treatment.

Aucoin said police are “holding” the scene to conduct an investigation. The Technical Standards and Safety Authority will be investigating, as well.