Repairman killed by falling elevator in Atlantic City

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (WPVI) -- Two brothers were working in an Atlantic City apartment building on a routine maintenance call when one of them was hit and killed by a moving elevator.

It happened around 10:15 Friday morning at the New York Avenue Apartments on the 200 block of North New York Avenue.

Investigators say 25-year-old Brian Jacome was killed instantly.

Both Jacome and his brother work for US Elevator, a company based in North Jersey.

The men were working on the third floor when Jacome apparently became trapped by a door as the elevator started moving.

Residents of the building heard him screaming for help.

"I think he got stuck first because he was in there hollering for help. He didn't get killed immediately, it was something he saw coming. He was trying to get some help to get out of there," said Clifford Smith.

Jacome is from the Bronx and his relatives rushed to the scene when they got word of his death.

They were seen in the parking lot comforting his brother as Jacome's body was removed from the building.

The New York Apartments is a 15 floor high rise senior living facility.

Residents say they often see the repairmen in the building because the elevators frequently malfunction.

According to police, this appears to be a tragic accident with no foul play involved.

Mayor Don Guardian says it appears that the power to the elevator had been shut off before the accident.

"I believe that did occur and the elevators were frozen but obviously something went tragically wrong," said Mayor Guardian.

OSHA investigators are now trying to determine how it happened.

The city is providing grief counselors for the victim's family and for first responders.