Elevator Mechanic Electrocuted To Death In Midtown Manhattan Building

An elevator worker was electrocuted to death in Midtown Wednesday night, The Daily News reports. Authorities say 44-year-old Ed Bradley died after coming into contact with live volt transformer wires while working on an elevator on the ninth floor of the Axa Equitable building at 1290 Sixth Ave.

"He was found close to the main box – not directly on the wires but very close,” said Deputy Fire Chief Jim Hodgens.

Bradley, a father of three, was pronounced dead on the scene.

"He has three kids, it's horrible,” one coworker at Schindler Company, a global elevator provider, told The Daily News. “He was a very nice guy. He was hardworking and smart,” adding, “But no one knows what happened."

DNAinfo reports the building has "dozens of elevator violations dating back to 1999, many of which were dismissed."

The Department of Buildings ordered the elevator involved in Bradley's death--one of 45 in the 43-story building--shut down after the incident.

It remains unclear how Bradley came in touch with the wires and the incident is still under investigation.

The tragedy is the second death caused by elevators in Midtown Manhattan in the past few months. In December, ad executive Suzanne Hart died when an elevator at 285 Madison Avenue suddenly shot upwards as Hart entered, dragging her body into the shaft and killing her.