Lift Accident Severely Injured U.S. Sheriff's Deputy

---

News Source: http://www.philly.com/ Release Date: 2016-8-6

A Philadelphia sheriff's deputy was critically injured Thursday when a structural failure involving a pair of employee elevators shattered the morning with a boom that some feared was a bomb and forced evacuation of the Criminal Justice Center in Center City.

A man is taken out of the Criminal Justice Center after an elevator failure Thursday, Aug. 4, 2016.

According to Mayor Kenney's office, elevator Car 2B, which contained one passenger, rose through the 15th-floor ceiling into the equipment "penthouse," which houses the motors.

That dislodged concrete and other debris, which rained down an adjacent shaft onto the roof of Car 1, which was at the basement level with one passenger aboard.

Deputy Fire Commissioner Jesse Wilson said Sgt. Paul Owens, 50, a 29-year sheriff's deputy who was in Car 2B, suffered significant head and chest injuries and was taken to Hahnemann University Hospital, where he was reported to be in critical condition. Sheriff Jewell William said later at the hospital that Owens also has suffered broken bones in his back.

A court employee in Car 1, which dropped a short distance after it was struck by debris, was taken to a hospital, where she was treated for minor injuries.

About 10:20 a.m., what sounded like an explosion rocked the 17-story building, followed by the sound of debris rattling down the shafts.

The incident triggered fire alarms throughout the building, and employees and others began the trek down 14 floors of stairs to the lobby and then out to the sidewalks on 13th and Filbert Streets.

Sheriff Williams said the explosive sound "was the noise of the malfunction."

Shortly after noon, officials announced that the criminal courthouse would be closed for the rest of the day and on Friday so its elevators could be inspected.