I t's everyone's nightmare. While spring was just starting to tempt people outside in New York City on April 1, a Chinese-food deliveryman was trapped inside -- stuck in the elevator of a high-rise apartment building from which he was not rescued for more than three days. It must have seemed to him as if Fate had delivered its worst April Fool's joke ever.

Ming Kuang Chen, an undocumented Chinese immigrant, said through an interpreter that he had entered an express elevator high up in the building late that Friday evening when it suddenly plunged and became stuck between two lower floors. He had no food or water, having dropped off all his meals. He used the intercom to call for help, but responders couldn't understand him. Repairmen called to check out the disabled elevator the following Monday didn't see or hear him (quite an advertisement for that particular repair company).

Mr. Chen, 35, was finally rescued early Tuesday, slightly dehydrated but otherwise in physically good condition, hospital officials said. Amazingly, he also showed few signs of mental distress. "Thanks for everyone for caring about me," he told a Taiwan television network. "I'm fine now."