Samuel Charles Waisbren Biography
Samuel Charles Waisbren has been identified as the man who was crushed to death by an elevator at Manhattan Promenade building. He was trying to get off the elevator when it suddenly dropped, pinning him between the elevator car and the elevator shaft.
Sam Waisbren
Samuel was 30 years old.
Samuel Charles Waisbren Family
Samuel was the son of Dr. Charles Waisbren who during an interview with Daily News said; “It’s hard to see how you can go on living when such a big thing is taken from you. “Sam was an absolutely wonderful young man. Smart and loving and very, very sensitive. He had his whole life ahead of him.”
According to relatives he had moved to the city six years ago. His father added; “A Midwest boy goes out to the big city — and dies. It’s just horrible to feel that he’s not going to grow up to have children, to have his own family, progress in his career.”
One bedroom at the building goes for $3,600. Charles said that considering the huge amount of rent paid the least they could do is provide safety.
“My feeling about New York is you pay a bazillion dollars for rent, the least they could do is provide safety.”
Samuel Charles Education
Samuel graduated from Nicolet High School in 2007. After his death Dr. Greg Kabara, Nicolet School District Superintendent released a statement which said;
“We are deeply saddened to learn of the tragic passing of Sam Waisbren, a 2007 graduate of Nicolet High School. The entire Nicolet family extends our condolences to his family and friends during this difficult time.”
Samuel Charles CB Insights
Samuel worked in sales at software company CB Insights.
Sam Waisbren Elevator Accident NYC
On August 22, 2019 Samuel was crushed to death by a falling elevator in his luxury Kips Bay apartment building. Samuel Waisbren rode the elevator down to the lobby of his 23-story apartment building, known as the Manhattan Promenade, at 344 Third Ave. near E. 26th St. with six other residents about 8:30 a.m. According to the officials and a building worker he started to walk out of the elevator on the heels of another passenger when the lift suddenly plummeted, crushing him.
The five people who remained on the descending elevator were forced to watch as Waisbren was sucked into the gap between the shaft and the elevator car.
FDNY Chief Anthony Arpaia said that some people were left on the car, “Some people were left on the car after the car moved down to the basement.” He added that the responding firefighters scrambled to remove the five passengers. He, however, said that Sam was stuck between the first floor and basement and the officials had to work hard to get the elevator car moved and Sam extracted.
“The patient was unfortunately stuck between the first floor and basement. We had to work pretty hard to get the elevator car moved and extract the patient.”
According to his father, Sam had complained about elevator problems in the building. According to the New York Times, the building had been fined $1,300 in May after inspectors found a safety feature on one of its two elevators had been disabled or tampered with.
One of the residents Dayna Sargen said that there is always something wrong with the elevators.
“There’s always something wrong with the elevators. They’re always down, people are getting stuck. If I had ever thought that this could happen I would’ve never ever put myself and my family in an elevator. It’s just sad. It’s tragic.”
The City Buildings Department inspectors are investigating how the elevator malfunctioned. Abigail Kunitz, Buildings Department spokeswoman, said; “Elevators are the safest form of travel in New York, due to the city’s stringent inspection and safety requirements. We’re determined to find out what went wrong at this building and seek ways to prevent incidents like this in the future.”