Doctor decapitated by lift in hospital accident as colleague watched in horror
A colleague was forced to watch on in horror when a doctor was decapitated by a lift in a gruesome hospital accident.
Hitoshi Nikaidoh, 35, was stepping into a second-floor elevator at Christus St. Joseph Hospital, in Houston, Texas, the US, when the doors closed suddenly, and pinned his shoulders. His head was severed when the lift moved upward.
A hospital employee witnessed the horrific ordeal and spent about 20 minutes trapped inside the lift with the surgical resident's body before firefighters could rescue her. According to hospital spokesman India Chumney Hancock, the woman who witnessed the horrifying tragedy was treated in the hospital's emergency room.
Harris County medical examiners carried out an inquiry into the incident and police said maintenance crews had worked on the lift earlier in the week. The entire bank of elevators ceased operation while the investigation was conducted.
Dr. Niakaidoh was born in Japan and moved with his family to Connecticut as a child. He graduated from the University of Texas-Houston Medical School in June 2003, following in his father's footsteps into the field of surgery.
The investigation found a single extra wire was the cause of the accident in elevator 14 where Dr Nikaidoh was killed.
If the configuration of the lift had been correct, only one wire and not two would have been connected to one of the many controller studs in the elevator control system. The empty space would have enabled the sensors to function properly and the victim would have been released with no harm inflicted.
While the misplaced wire was ruled as the predominant cause of Nikaidoh's death, alarmingly, it turned out to be only one of several examples of negligent maintenance work on Elevator 14.
During the course of his investigation into the lift, Chief Elevator Inspector Ron Steele of the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation uncovered no fewer than 22 code violations. The lift was also a month overdue for its annual inspection.
Fire House reported elevators and escalators kill about 30 and injure about 17,100 people each year in the United States, according to data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labour Statistics and the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Historical records credit the first elevator being constructed by the ancient Greek engineer and inventor Archimedes. It is believed he created a crude design utilizing hemp rope and manual power in the year 236 B.C.
Since then, the design and technology has evolved and while elevators are seen today as a relatively safe mode of transport, issues still sometimes arise.
According to Crieff Law Firm, only one in 12 million elevator rides is estimated to encounter a problem. And even then, the majority of those problems tend to be issues like sticking doors and forgetful buttons.
The law firm stated that statistically speaking, you are far more likely to be injured or killed by a slip and fall accident on a set of stairs than by a ride in an elevator.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Scottish Sun
Brit grandad in Greek ICU with £14k bill after failing to declare health issue GP told him ‘not to worry about'
'He's really breathless, on the phone he can't say more than a few sentences,' his stepdaughter Liza says. 'We're just desperate to get him home.' STRANDED Brit grandad in Greek ICU with £14k bill after failing to declare health issue GP told him 'not to worry about' Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A BRITISH grandad is on life support in Greece with a £14,000 medical bill after an insurance mix-up over a lung mass his GP told him 'not to worry about'. Alan Kirby, 67, from Somerset, is now on a ventilator and stuck abroad with no cover for a £45,000 flight home because he didn't declare a condition previously dismissed as harmless. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 Alan Kirby, with stepdaughter Liza Whitemore Credit: SWNS 5 The grandad is now on a ventilator Credit: SWNS 5 Alan (back left), with his partner Helen Whitemore (middle), and Adam (back right) with his and Liza's children (front) Credit: SWNS His stepdaughter Liza Whitemore, 40, said: 'There's a talk about him going into a coma, but we don't know if it's cancer or pneumonia doing the damage. "He's fine, then he's not, he's fine then he's not. He's really breathless, on the phone he can't say more than a few sentences. We're just desperate to get him home." Alan, a car valeter from Marston Magna, had been three days into a family holiday in Zante with his partner Helen Whitemore, 62, Liza and her three daughters when he fell ill on July 5. He had an aching pain all down his side during dinner, which he thought was from throwing his stepdaughter's children around in the sea. The next morning he woke up breathless and went to a local medical clinic. After tests, doctors advised he return to the UK for a biopsy on a mass spotted in his right lung. But before they could leave, Alan deteriorated. His oxygen levels dropped to 36 per cent and he began fitting in his hospital bed. Doctors placed him on a non-invasive ventilato and have warned he may need to be put in a coma, but feared he wouldn't wake up due to his fragile lungs. Liza said: 'He looked dreadful, grey and pale. Everyone was petrified. Nobody knew what was going on.' The signs and symptoms of cancer Alan was airlifted by helicopter to a private hospital in Athens because he was too sick to fly commercially. But days later, the insurance company told the family they had checked Alan's UK medical records and discovered the lung mass had been noted by doctors back in December 2024, though they believed it was benign fatty tissue. That made it a 'pre-existing condition', something the family hadn't declared, because they thought it was harmless. Liza said: 'We know we've made the mistake, that's the problem. 'My mum had gone into the bank that she had insurance with and they said, 'just go on holiday, you don't have to do anything'. 'They didn't know about the mass. And he was well before, he was working as a car valeter the day before the holiday.' The insurance company agreed to cover the first five days of care in the Athens private hospital, racking up a £14,000 bill, before refusing further support. Alan has since been moved to a general hospital where treatment covered by his Global Health Insurance Card. This is a free UK card that lets travellers access state healthcare in EU countries on the same terms as locals. 5 The family are 'desperate to get him home' Credit: SWNS 5 They need £22k to get him back to the UK Credit: SWNS But it doesn't cover private hospitals or the cost of getting home, such as an air ambulance. He remains on a ventilator battling pneumonia, and doctors still don't know if the lung mass is cancerous. His family have returned to Somerset and are now desperately raising £22,000 on GoFundMe to help cover a medical flight to bring him home.
ITV News
5 days ago
- ITV News
How a Yeovil family fell foul of travel insurance rules and face a huge bill to get their dad home
When three generations of the Kirby Whitemore family packed their bags for Zante last month, they thought they had everything they needed: suncream, snorkel, flippers, everything to enjoy a week on the Greek island. They had even remembered to buy travel insurance. Today, that dream vacation has become a living nightmare, with 67-year-old Alan Kirby fighting for his life in an Athens hospital while his devastated family faces an impossible choice between staying by his side and financial ruin. The holiday began like any other family trip to the Mediterranean. For the first two days, the Kirbys soaked up the Greek sunshine, splashed in crystal-clear waters, and created memories across three generations. But on day three, everything changed. "It started innocently enough—a muscular pain down his side," recalls the family. "We assumed it was from Alan throwing the children into the sea all day at the beach. He'd been playing with them for hours." What seemed like typical holiday muscle strain quickly revealed itself as something far more sinister. The apparently healthy grandfather's condition deteriorated rapidly, and within days he was diagnosed with pneumonia and suspected lung cancer, now dependent on an oxygen tank to breathe. Alan's family describes the Greek public hospital as "scruffy and understaffed". The stark contrast between the healthcare he desperately needs and what's available has left the family feeling helpless and abandoned. Legally, the only way Alan could fly home to the NHS is on a medical flight with a specialist nurse. That costs £30,000 and his family can't afford it. The source of the Kirbys' nightmare lies buried in the small print of their Allianz travel insurance policy. Alan had failed to declare a benign lung tumour discovered the previous year—a condition that required no active treatment and seemed to have no impact on his daily life. To Alan and his family, the inactive tumour appeared irrelevant to their holiday plans. To Allianz, however, this omission was grounds to deny coverage entirely, regardless of whether the undisclosed condition was directly related to his current crisis. In a statement Allianz explained: "Our sympathies are with Mr Kirby and his family during his recovery. In common with other travel insurers, we ask customers to adhere to policy terms, including disclosure of any pre-existing medical conditions for anyone covered under the policy. Unfortunately, a pre-existing medical condition was not disclosed to us, so we are declining the claim. We acted in good faith and covered the costs of Mr Kirby until the pre-existing medical condition was established." His daughter Liza's said: "Please, when everyone's going on holiday, check everything—every single thing you might not be covered for." His partner Helen's added: "I just don't know what to do. I just want him home." The couple, along with Liza, have launched a GoFundMe campaign as their last hope to raise the funds needed for Alan's medical repatriation. As Alan fights for his life in Athens, his families story has become a powerful warning to travellers everywhere: when it comes to travel insurance, every medical detail matters, no matter how insignificant it may appear.
Daily Mirror
7 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Diabetes cookbook includes low-carb treats like this squidgy chocolate brownies recipe
Enjoy a range of delicious recipes that are low in carbohydrates, including these squidgy chocolate, date, and walnut brownies from this diabetes cookbook Dive into a guilt-free indulgence with The Diabetes Air Fryer Cookbook by Katie Caldesi, perfect for those managing type 2 diabetes without missing out on delectable treats. With over four million individuals in the UK battling type 2 diabetes, it's a common misconception that tasty food is off the menu. However, Katie Caldesi's latest culinary creation, The Diabetes Air Fryer Cookbook, is here to dispel those myths with mouth-watering recipes like squidgy chocolate, date and walnut brownies – all made in an air fryer. Katie Caldesi describes the brownies as having "minimal sweetness and maximum flavour". She suggests: "Leave these plain, top with whipped cream flavoured with vanilla or serve with Greek yogurt, crème fraîche or soured cream, and berries." Boasting 100 scrumptious recipes, The Diabetes Air Fryer Cookbook is a treasure trove of dishes ranging from breakfasts and quick weekday dinners to succulent roasts fit for family feasts, not forgetting the enchanting low-carb desserts and cakes, such as the featured brownies. "They are also full of fibre from the nuts, chocolate and dates," Katie points out. She highlights the benefits of toasting nuts, explaining, "Toasting nuts brings out the natural oils and gives them oodles of flavour. Smell them as they go into the air fryer and come out and you will see what I mean." Katie, alongside her husband Giancarlo, runs the esteemed Caldesi restaurants and cookery schools in London. The couple has penned several successful cookbooks, including the popular Diabetes Weight Loss Cookbook, inspired by Giancarlo's own journey with diabetes, reports InYourArea. The entire family switched to a low-carb diet, and the book is brimming with recipes they concocted. Giancarlo shed nearly four stone on this diet and managed to reverse his illness symptoms. Katie's newest book offers guidance on how to whip up delicious, simple meals suitable for diabetics and pre-diabetics, using an air fryer. It features this brownie recipe, crafted by the head chef at La Cucina Caldesi cookery school. Stefano's squidgy chocolate, date and walnut brownies: Ingredients: (makes 12) 75g walnuts 3 plump Medjool dates (approx 75g), pitted and roughly chopped, or 75g erythritol 100g dark chocolate (at least 85% cocoa solids) 60g butter, plus extra for greasing 3 eggs 50g ground almonds Method: Begin by toasting the walnuts on a baking tray at 160°C for three minutes. Allow them to cool before roughly chopping. If you're using dates, soak them in 75ml of freshly boiled water for a few minutes, then mash into a pulp with a fork. If using erythritol, dissolve it in 50ml of just-boiled water over a medium-high heat in a small saucepan. Set this aside. Next, line a silicone mould with baking paper. Melt the chocolate and butter together either in a bain-marie (a glass or metal bowl set over a saucepan of hot water, ensuring the bowl doesn't touch the water) or in a small microwave-safe bowl. Allow this to cool. Separate the eggs into two mixing bowls. Add the date or erythritol mixture to the egg yolks and mix well with a hand whisk or large spoon. Combine the chocolate mixture with the yolk mixture, adding the walnuts and ground almonds. Stir again to combine. Whisk the egg whites until they form firm peaks. Using a large metal spoon, gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Pour this into the prepared mould and smooth the surface. Bake in the air fryer at 140°C for 20 to 25 minutes. The brownie is ready when the crust feels firm but still has a slight wobble; it will continue to set as it cools. Once baked, remove from the air fryer and allow to cool to room temperature before removing from the paper liner. Cut into 12 squares and serve at room temperature. Alternatively, once cooled, store in an airtight container in the fridge where they will keep for a couple of days. Nutritional value: Per brownie with dates: 181kcal, 5g carbs, 2g fibre, 4g protein, 16g fat. Per brownie with erythritol: 171kcal, 3g carbs, 2g fibre, 4g protein, 16g fat. You can now save a third on The Diabetes Air Fryer Cookbook by Katie Caldesi (hardback), available for £14 on Amazon. Additionally, you might fancy this Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes Cookbook by Vickie De Beer, Kath Megaw, and Prof. David Segal for £16.99 at Waterstones or £15.30 from Tesco.
