A terrifying sidewalk cellar door accident in Manhattan sent an unsuspecting pedestrian to the hospital with horrific injuries on October 15th. The man was simply walking past the McDonald’s at the corner of Fifth Avenue and 34th Street when he stumbled and fell through an open sidewalk cellar door. He hit bottom 12 feet below street level and lay injured until rescue crews arrived.
EMTs were able to stabilize the man in the hole and hoist him out of sidewalk cellar door through which he fell. They rushed him to Bellevue Hospital where he was listed in stable condition.
One eyewitness reportedly climbed down into the hole to see if he could help the man. He later told reporters that the man was an elderly gentleman (perhaps in his 70s) and had a bad laceration to his head. He also said the man had lost a lot of blood and was bleeding “all over the place.”
Several eyewitnesses report that the sidewalk cellar door accident in midtown could have been avoided if safety cones or other barriers had been in place. Such barriers would have prevented the man from falling into the opening even if he was distracted.
However, the manager of the McDonalds told reporters that there were cones in place and that at least one employee was stationed at the edge of the sidewalk cellar door to prevent pedestrians from falling in. The claims seem dubious as a man did indeed fall into the gaping hole. However, a full investigation into the accident has begun.
If that investigation reveals that no safety precautions were undertaken, the property owner and/or the lessee (McDonald’s) could be held liable for the elderly man’s injuries, medical bills, and lost income.
If you or a loved one has been injured by a similar hazard or any kind of broken sidewalk, contact a New York City sidewalk cellar door attorney today. Call the Law Offices of Nussin S. Fogel for a free consultation at or 212-385-1122 to learn your rights.