Whitworth Worker Killed While Repairing Elevator Elevator Rose Accidentally, Pinning Man Against Ceiling

A Whitworth College maintenance worker was killed Thursday morning while fixing an elevator.

David L. Wright, 50, was on top of the elevator in the Eric Johnston Science Building at 7:45 a.m. when it accidently started to rise, pinning him against the ceiling in the elevator shaft, the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office said.

Wright, who had worked at Whitworth for 20 years, was repairing the elevator with a partner who has worked at Whitworth for 12 years. The other worker was in the basement of the two-story building and was not injured.

The accident occurred in the north wing of the brick L-shaped science facility near the middle of campus.

Classes in the building were canceled as state Department of Labor and Industries inspectors looked into the accident.

A Whitworth spokesman did not know details about what had caused the elevator to move upward.

Thomas A. Johnson, vice president of business affairs at Whitworth, said the college also is investigating.

The science building is about 30 years old, Johnson said. It was remodeled two years ago.

Johnson said he was not aware of any other employee deaths in the history of the college.

In a prepared statement, Bill Robinson, Whitworth president, said, “This has been a real blow to members of the campus community, many of whom have known and worked with Dave for years.”

The liberal arts Presbyterian college held a chapel service at 11 a.m. and made counseling available for faculty and staff members. Wright’s wife also works at Whitworth, the Sheriff’s Office said.