Hotel Housekeeper Falls to Death in Elevator Shaft

Last December, a 65-year-old hotel housekeeper at the Crockett Hotel in San Antonio fell to her death six stories down an elevator shaft. There was a state investigation on the incident, and the findings were recently released.

The chief elevator inspector with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, Lawrence Taylor, said it seems like Gloria Rodriguez backed into a service elevator with her cart when the doors opened. She didn’t realize the elevator hadn’t arrived yet.

His report stated that the hotel should have had the elevator inspected and didn’t have proper maintenance.

The attorney for the family said the report showed no surprises. The report stated that the hotel had planned an inspection, but then postponed it at the request of the elevator company because of upcoming holidays. The hotel attempted to use jumpers to fix the elevator brake, but it wasn’t installed, adjusted or maintained by the manufacturer.

The family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the hotel and Otis Elevator Co. The first hearing is set for November. The hotel management didn’t make any comments concerning the report findings.