Chicago Woman Unknowingly Rides Elevator To Her Own Death

Shantel McCoy, 32, was killed in the elevator of her Chicago apartment when a freak fire engulfed her in flames.

McCoy entered the elevator of her North Side apartment located at 3130 N. Lake Shore Dr. and began to proceed to her 12th floor apartment without realizing a fire had broken out.

According to the HuffingtonPost as the elevator doors opened Shantel was “hit with a superheated blast” as fire rushed into the new air pocket created by the elevator.

The marketing executive moved to Chicago less than one year ago and was found already dead on the scene when firefighters arrived.

NBC Chicago points out that the fire broke out in a single apartment and as the man and woman living in that apartment fled with their dog they did not shut the door.

According to Chicago Fire Department Chief Joe Roccasalva :

“If the fire is in your apartment, we tell people to get out and close the door. Each unit is a compartment to itself,” and “… The door to the apartment where the fire started was not closed, and the super-heated toxic gasses all got into the hallway there. The heat in there is probably 1,500 to 2,000 degrees at the ceiling. And if she was standing in the elevator, she probably got it full, right on.”

Because of the door being left open nine other people were injured in the complex including two firefighters.

While older Chicago buildings have not been required to have sprinkler systems installed in hallways the city council earlier this month passed an extension giving building owners until the end of January to implement such safety equipment.