Latest news with #StJosephMedicalCenter
Daily Mail
30-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Doctor decapitated in freak elevator accident... as colleague watched in horror
A doctor was killed after an elevator in his hospital malfunctioned and severed his head, it has been revealed. Dr Hitoshi Nikaidoh, 35, stepped into a second-floor elevator at St Joseph Medical Center in Houston, Texas, when the doors suddenly closed and pinned his shoulder and head in the doorway. The elevator then ascended, and he was decapitated. A colleague was already inside the elevator and remained trapped with part of Dr Nikaidoh's body for 20 minutes before firefighters freed her. She was treated for shock in the hospital's emergency room, according to hospital spokesperson India Chumney Hancock. The elevator bank was immediately taken out of service, with employees saying a maintenance crew had worked on the mechanics during that week. An investigation later revealed that wires had not been attached correctly causing the elevator's sensors to fail, leading it to go up with Dr Nikaidoh trapped in the doors. Dr Nikaidoh had just graduated from the University of Texas-Houston Medical School and was training to become an obstetrician-gynecologist. From a family of physicians, he was also a devout Christian and his father said he aspired to become a missionary doctor. The accident took place in August 2003, but has resurfaced online in recent weeks after details of the accident were recirculated. Dr Nikaidoh was reported to have run to catch the elevator and the colleague inside had pressed a button to hold the doors open. The pair had been planning to travel up to the sixth floor of the hospital. Elevator 14 in the hospital was the elevator involved in the accident, with firefighters having to remove the door to free the trapped individual. An investigation later found that the accident was caused by a single wire in the elevator. If the elevator had been correctly configured, a second wire wouldn't have been mistakenly attached to the controller, which caused the safety sensors to fail. This would have enabled the car's sensors to function correctly and would have ensured the doors would have released the trapped victim, the Mirror reported. An inspection by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation revealed 22 code violations with the elevator. It was also found to be a month overdue for its annual inspection. In a tribute to Dr Nikaidoh, colleagues wrote: 'As a surgeon-to-be, he tutored fellow lower-level medical students on not only how to master the challenges of gross anatomy but also how to develop the skillful art of dissection and respect for the human body. 'As a physician, he taught patients not only to hope when all hope is lost, but also to have faith through which peace can be found. 'Toshi's dedication to academics and education, his compassion for the sick and less fortunate, and his tireless devotion to his faith, family, and friends have all continued to touch and change lives of all who knew him, and even of all who only knew of him.' Elevators are equipped with numerous safety mechanisms and sensors to avoid serious or fatal accidents and to stop them from moving while someone is pinned in their doors. But data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics suggests that the cars are involved in about 30 fatalities every year and seriously injure about 17,000 people annually in the US alone. About 18billion elevator trips are taken in the US every year, with the average person taking about four trips per day. In a more recent case from August 2019, a tech executive was crushed by a malfunctioning elevator in New York City. Sam Waisbren, 30, was trying to exit the elevator and enter the lobby of the Manhattan Promenade Tower when the car suddenly fell and trapped him between the wall and the elevator shaft. His cause of death was listed as 'mechanical asphyxia', or when someone is left unable to breathe by mechanics, with the accident occurring in the building at East 25th Street and Third Avenue.
Yahoo
15-06-2025
- Yahoo
Bonney Lake motorcyclist hurt in south Pierce County wreck Saturday, WSP says
A Bonney Lake motorcyclist was taken to an area hospital after a wreck in south Pierce County Saturday afternoon, according to the Washington State Patrol. The crash also involved a 25-year-old Puyallup man who was not hurt. About 4:10 p.m., the 38-year-old motorcyclist was headed south on Kinsman Road, approaching state Route 702 in south Pierce County. That highway runs between Yelm and state Route 7. Troopers say the Bonney Lake man failed to yield at a stop sign, then was ejected from his bike and struck by the eastbound Puyallup driver. The motorcyclist was hurt and taken to St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma. State Route 702 was partially blocked for early three hours, according to State Patrol.
Yahoo
15-06-2025
- Yahoo
Bonney Lake motorcyclist hurt in south Pierce County wreck Saturday, WSP says
A Bonney Lake motorcyclist was taken to an area hospital after a wreck in south Pierce County Saturday afternoon, according to the Washington State Patrol. The crash also involved a 25-year-old Puyallup man who was not hurt. About 4:10 p.m., the 38-year-old motorcyclist was headed south on Kinsman Road, approaching state Route 702 in south Pierce County. That highway runs between Yelm and state Route 7. Troopers say the Bonney Lake man failed to yield at a stop sign, then was ejected from his bike and struck by the eastbound Puyallup driver. The motorcyclist was hurt and taken to St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma. State Route 702 was partially blocked for early three hours, according to State Patrol.
CBS News
17-04-2025
- CBS News
Pedestrian critically hurt after being hit by car in Joliet, Illinois, police say
A pedestrian was hospitalized after being hit by a car Wednesday night in Joliet, Illinois. Joliet police officers responded to the scene around 7:46 p.m. on Cass Street near Youngs Avenue for a report of a traffic crash involving a pedestrian. A preliminary investigation of the crash determined that a 56-year-old man was in the 500 block of Cass Street on the south side of the street when he attempted to cross to the north side of the roadway. At that time, he was hit by a Kia Forte driven by a 29-year-old male of Elwood, which was westbound in the curb lane. The Joliet Fire Department took the pedestrian to St Joseph Medical Center in critical condition. His condition has stabilized. The driver of the Kia was uninjured. There is no crosswalk where the crash happened, according to police. The roadway was closed as traffic crash investigators reconstructed the crash scene. The crash remains under investigation. Anyone with video footage or information about the crash is asked to contact the Joliet Police Department Traffic Unit at 815-724-3193.
CBS News
17-03-2025
- CBS News
Boy, 6, dies after crashing ATV into tree in Joliet, Illinois, police say
A 6-year-old was killed after crashing an all-terrain vehicle into a tree Saturday evening in Joliet, according to police. Just after 5 p.m., Joliet police officers responded to a crash involving an ATV in the 900 block of Mission Boulevard. Preliminary investigations indicated that the boy was driving a REX110 ATV with an 8-year-old passenger heading northbound on the sidewalk between the 900 and 1000 block of Mission Boulevard. Police say the ATV lost control and hit a tree, causing the 6-year-old to become ejected from the ATV. He was taken to St Joseph Medical Center by fire crews, where he later died. The 8-year-old was not hurt in the crash. "There are no words that can fully capture the sorrow of losing a child. Our hearts are broken for the family, whose unimaginable grief is shared by our officers and the entire Joliet community. In times like this, we must come together to offer our prayers, strength, and unwavering support to those who are suffering," Joliet Police Chief Bill Evans said. Investigation into the crash remains ongoing.
