A MAN was crushed under a lift on what is believed to have been the first day of his new job.
The lift engineer was working in Queens House in Paragon Street, Hull city centre, when it is thought he fell almost ten metres down an elevator shaft.
Moments after his fall, he was crushed by the lift, in what has been described as a "freak" and "horrific" accident. The man was just 37.
It is not yet known how he came to fall and Humberside Police confirmed last night they are still investigating his death.
An employee at Queens House said: "It is absolutely horrific.
"It was his first day in a new job and I spoke with him a bit. He was a nice man and it was a freak accident.
"I went up to see if he was all right at one point but he wasn't there. I just thought he had gone for his lunch break.
"Not long after that the building started to shudder and shake.
"It was hard to know what was happening, so we evacuated the building as soon as possible. It soon turned out the vibrating was coming from the lift being stuck.
"People are very upset."
Hull City Council is helping Humberside Police with its investigation.
Officers confirmed yesterday the man is from the Doncaster area and that specially trained officers were helping his family.
A Humberside Police spokesman said: "An investigation has been launched following the death of a man in Hull.
"The man is thought to have been working in an area around the lifts of Queens House in Paragon Street.
"His family has been informed and are being helped by specially trained officers.
"Police are working with Hull City Council to establish the circumstances."
More than a dozen emergency vehicles were called to the city centre building shortly before 4pm on Monday afternoon.
Firefighters with cutting equipment entered the building as members of the public gathered to see what was happening.
Crime scene investigators spent several hours in the building.
A police presence remained on site until yesterday morning.
A worker in a shop, close to where the man's body was found, in Queens House, said: "There was a very strong vibration inside the building. I thought the air conditioning had broken at first but then realised it was too loud for that and it was practically right above my head. It was concerning.
"It didn't go on for too long before the alarms were sounding and we were all being evacuated from the shops.
"Every shop was evacuated and there were lots of us out on the street. The fire brigade was called and they eventually told us we could go back to work. Knowing somebody has died is terrible news."
Queens House is made up of offices above city shops, with various occupants.
