STATEN ISLAND — A 16-year-old boy died after he fell down an elevator shaft in an abandoned Staten Island hospital, police said.
Marco Castillo, 16, of Sunnyside, was inside the abandoned building at 100 Castleton Ave. when he fell seven stories down the elevator shaft at about 4:40 p.m. Friday, police said.
Castillo suffered head trauma and was taken to Richmond University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, police said.
He was a student at the nearby Curtis High School, which will have counselors on hand when school returns on Tuesday, according to Councilwoman Debi Rose.
"I extend my deepest condolences to Castillo family after the tragic loss of their 16-year-old son Marcos," Rose wrote on Facebook.
"I have also spoken with the NYPD about the current conditions of this property, which I have been working to transform into an educational complex. I am actively monitoring the ongoing investigation, and my hope is that this investigation will bring us answers and the information we need to prevent future tragedies."
The building was the site of the former Staten Island Hospital and was the borough's first volunteer hospital, the Staten Island Advance reported. It has reportedly been abandoned since 1979, had several fires inside throughout the years and elected officials started a push this year to transform it into an education complex.
