State shuts down 35 elevators Fatality spurred emergency inspections of double-door lifts

AUGUSTA – Thirty-five more elevators with dangerously large gaps between inner and outer doors were taken out of service last week, bringing to 70 the number of elevator shutdowns since the state began emergency inspections.

The inspections started nearly two weeks ago and were prompted by the Aug. 23 accident in which Joseph Tucker Smith, 8, of Maryland was crushed to death when he was trapped between the inner and outer doors of an elevator at the Bethel Inn.

Most of the state’s estimated 2,800 elevators have a single-door design, but officials said after the accident as many as 181 elevators might have a double-door design.

Inspectors have finished checking all but seven of those 181 elevators in Maine that might have a similar design flaw. The remaining inspections are expected to take place next week, said Kristine Ossenfort of the state Department of Professional and Financial Regulation, which licenses elevators.

Inspectors found that 97 of the 174 elevators complied with regulations; another seven had been taken out of service in response to a warning letter state officials sent to owners after the Bethel accident.

“We’re concerned about the high percentage and we’re going to examine the information more closely” in the days ahead, said Ossenfort, who expressed surprise at a large number of defective elevators.

The 70 closed elevators cannot legally be placed back in service until owners shrink the gap between the doors and state inspectors verify that the changes have been made.

State regulations allow a gap of no more than 4 inches between the outer and inner doors of elevators like the one at the Bethel Inn, although the standard was 5 inches until March of this year. The Bethel Inn elevator had a 7-inch space between the door and the gate.