Man Killed In Elevator Accident

A 61-year-old man was killed when he fell through an elevator shaft Monday night at the Cabrini-Green building where he lived on the Near North Side.

Police News Affairs Officer Ron Gaines said the man was near the elevator shaft inside a building at 365 W. Oak St. about 9:30 p.m. when for an unknown reason he fell right through and died.

The Cook County Medical Examiner’s office said Clarence Walker, 61, of the Oak Street address, fell down an elevator shaft and was pronounced dead on the scene at 12:03 a.m.

The Cabrini-Green building is located at 365 W. Oak St.

A resident of the building, Dorothy Jackson, 54, said police are not allowing residents to leave or come into the building, as of 11:10 p.m.

Jackson, a 30-year resident of the Cabrini-Green complex, said she heard someone got stuck in the elevator.

“Police are on our porch,” Jackson said.

Another resident said a male resident of the building fell down the elevator shaft from the 7th floor.

Derek Hill, a spokesman for the Chicago Housing Authority, did not have any details on the accident.

Fire Department Cmdr. Will Knight said the department did not transport any person to the hospital from the accident site, and Chicago Police are handling the incident.

The area was categorized as a crime scene, Knight said.

An autopsy is scheduled for later Tuesday.

Belmont Area detectives are investigating.