A woman sustained life-threatening injuries Friday evening after her arm became trapped in the door of a freight elevator inside a Northwest D.C. apartment building, authorities confirmed.
D.C. Fire & EMS reported that the incident occurred in the 2400 block of 16th Street NW, at the Dorchester House apartment complex in the Adams Morgan neighborhood. The woman’s arm was caught in the elevator door shortly before 7 p.m., prompting an emergency response.
According to officials, Rescue Squad 2 was first on the scene to begin the extrication. After assessing the severity of the situation, the Battalion Chief for Special Operations upgraded the call to a full rescue response, classifying the incident as an “industrial entrapment.” Firefighters worked methodically to free the woman before she was transported to a hospital with critical injuries.
The D.C. Department of Buildings has ordered the elevator taken out of service while investigators determine what caused the malfunction. Officials have not released the woman’s name or provided an update on her condition.
City inspectors are now coordinating with building management and D.C. Fire & EMS to examine the elevator’s mechanical systems and to determine whether any safety lapses contributed to the accident.
