A man was dragged up 17 floors after getting pinned between elevator doors at a Southern Boulevard apartment Monday.

Witnesses say the man was stepping inside the elevator in the lobby after getting his mail when the doors closed on his body. According to witnesses, the man screamed as the elevator dragged him upward, scraping his body along the elevator shaft.

People in the building called 911 immediately and firefighters freed the man on the 16th floor. The man, who suffered severe injuries to his arms and legs, was then handed over to paramedics.

Fire officials say the safety mechanism on the elevator, which opens the doors whenever someone is standing in the doorway, was apparently not working. A spokesperson for the building's management company says the elevators were inspected in March.

Building managers say they'll shut down elevator service until a thorough safety investigation is conducted.