Firefighters say a man is lucky to be alive after falling down an elevator shaft with his scooter at a residential highrise building downtown.  

Firefighters were called to an apartment building at 248 Simcoe Street, in the area of Dundas Street West and University Avenue, at around 10:30 a.m.

According to Platoon Chief Kevin Aucoin, the man fell about 45-50 feet from the third floor to a basement level.

“He did go down on the scooter, was at the base of the shaft as well. When our crews got there, the scooter was broken up and on top of him,” Aucoin said. “To be frank, I’m surprised he didn’t get killed or more hurt than what he is.”

Firefighters managed to get the man out of the shaft using a harness.

Aucoin said the man suffered a broken leg, but remained conscious throughout the ordeal.

“I was surprised someone falling from that height wasn’t killed in that shaft. So lucky he’s alive, for sure,” Aucoin said.

Toronto Paramedic Services transported the man to a trauma centre after he was rescued from the bottom of the elevator shaft.

There is no word so far on how he fell.

The Technical Standards and Safety Authority, which oversees elevator safety, and Toronto police are investigating the incident.