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Owner Of Car That Plunged Down Garage Elevator Shaft Blames Parking Attendant

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - City engineers will determine the extent of the structural damage done after a car fell nine stories in a parking garage's elevator shaft and then burst into flames.

It happened late Tuesday after at the stand-alone garage at 100 Biscayne Boulevard. The garage uses vehicle elevators to take cars up to the parking levels where attendants drive them into parking spots. Drivers don't have access to their cars once they're taken away.

According to Miami Fire Rescue, for unknown reasons, the car went through a safety gate and fell approximately nine floors to the bottom of the elevator shaft, where it ignited into flames.

Matt Olechnowicz, who owns the 2005 Acura TL that took the plunge, said a parking attendant is to blame, according to the explanation he was given.

"It was a manual car and they left it in gear. When they went to get the car they started the car and the car jumped forward and fell down the elevator shaft," he said.

"Thank God that nothing happened and no one was hurt. I mean, I was standing 10 feet away. I saw the car drop and hit. You know, it's heartbreaking but the first thing I did was check, no one was in the car," he added.

Olechnowicz said glad everyone was safe but says all the energy he put into it is irreplaceable.

"This is not just a car to me, this is my baby," he said.

Olechnowicz said he's spent thousands of dollars accessorizing the car including special rims, a $3,000 stereo, televisions, a computer chip, and LED lighting.

"It's not about the money. You can't replace something you've had forever," he said.

The owner of the garage is paying Olechnowicz's Uber until he can get everything worked out with his insurance company.

Olechnowicz said they also offered to pay for the original value of the car, but he said with all the money and time he put into it, he hopes that they can reach a better agreement.

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