Cal State Long Beach Death: Employee Killed in Elevator Accident

Authorities are investigating an accidental death at California State University Wednesday involving an employee who was killed in an accident in the elevator shaft on campus.

Annette Lujan, a 48-year-old employee at the university, was killed in an elevator in the Foundation Building at Long Beach Wednesday morning, according to The Associated Press.

School spokesman Rick Gloady said Lujan was reportedly stuck in an elevator and tried to climb out on her own without the help of fire officials. However, she was crushed when the elevator malfunctioned and shifted.

According to Cal State spokeswoman Tone Beron, Gloady was caught between two floors.

When she arrived on the third floor, there was some sort of malfunction of the elevator and she was not able to get out, Beron said in a statement. She decided to get out on her own, and there was someone there who she asked to assist her in climbing out.

Police officials said Lujan died at the scene. University police and the Long Beach Fire Department were notified around 9 a.m. when she was trapped in the elevator, the Los Angeles Times reported. An email alert was sent to the university community within an hour following the accident and the building was evacuated at 9:23 a.m, the Daily 49er reported.

There has been a fatality on the CSU Long Beach campus today as the result of an accident. The matter is currently under investigation. The name of the deceased is not being released at this time pending notification of the next of kin, the University statement read.

Lujan, a resident of Huntington Beach Calif. and mother of two, worked in the CSULB grants and contracts office for nine years

University officials at Cal State and authorities are investigating the elevator accident death.

Memorial and funeral services for Annette Lujan have not yet been announced.