JPS Hospital releasing few details after worker seriously injured in elevator accident

Image 1 of 2

A woman was seriously injured over the weekend in an elevator accident in the John Peter Smith Hospital. But answers about what exactly happened are apparently coming very slowly.

The accident happened Sunday in the hospital's purple tower. At last report, the hospital said it was still waiting on inspectors from the state to come out.

No information is being released about the woman who works at the hospital who was seriously injured. The hospital’s legal counsel met on Tuesday, and a spiritual care team is available for her colleagues.

A sign up Tuesday evening in a hallway in one part of the John Peter-Smith hospital campus told visitors that the purple elevators are unavailable and directed them to alternatives. But the hospital is only providing limited information about why.

A spokesperson for JPS Health Network provided text from two emails sent from CEO Robert Early to team members. The first one was sent Sunday night stating, "This morning, one of our team members was seriously injured in one of the purple Patient Tower elevators when it was stopped at the 10th floor. No patients or visitors were on the elevator at the time of the accident."

The email went on to state that contractors with the elevator company were on-site and that state inspectors were being contacted.

The following day, a second email stated that the woman who was injured "is receiving the best care possible from our medical team," and that "the purple elevators remain locked down."

The CEO praised the JPS team members who "responded heroically on Sunday and were able to help get their injured friend and teammate to the Emergency Department and on to ICU."

However, the hospital is refusing to release details of the accident and what exactly happened. It is also refusing to talk about the severity of the injuries the woman suffered, only calling them serious.

A spokesperson did tell FOX 4 that the hospital's elevator contractor was at the facility completing inspections, but state inspectors have yet to come out.

An email also stated that the elevator contractor repaired two red elevators that had been out of service since last week.