Woman trapped in Manhattan elevator for three days

NEW YORK — A woman spent the past weekend stuck in the elevator of a Manhattan townhouse.

Housekeeper Marites Fortaliza went to work as usual, but then the unexpected happened. She had become trapped inside a broken elevator, The New York Times reports. Fortaliza explained to the authorities that she had been trapped since Friday evening. The owners of the house were reportedly away for the weekend.

Fortaliza was saved after a person trying to deliver made contact with the property's owners, reports The New York Times. They reportedly sent a family member to see what was going on. The family member then saw Fortaliza was stuck in the elevator and contacted the emergency services.

Firefighters then made their way to the townhouse and forced open the elevator doors which is when the 53-year-old was finally rescued. Fortaliza was taken to a hospital for treatment, The New York Times reports.

In a statement quoted in an Associated Press report, the family said Fortaliza had been "a valued member" of their "extended family for 18 years." They added Fortaliza is "doing well in the hospital."

The cause of the elevator malfunction is under investigation, according to the Associated Press.