Woman rescued after three days trapped in elevator in New York

A woman spent three days trapped in an elevator at her employers' home in New York, police say.

Marites Fortaliza, 53, works as a housekeeper at a billionaire investment banker's home in Manhattan and was cleaning all the floors of the five-story townhouse when she got stuck in the elevator between the second and the third floors.

She was rescued on Monday after a delivery man became concerned that no one was answering the door.

According to authorities, the homeowners were away for the weekend.

The woman was cleaning the townhouse when she became trapped in the elevator. Photo / Google

Firefighters managed to force the elevator door open with tools.

The woman was found inside the elevator, dehydrated but with no injuries.

She was taken to hospital where she is in stable condition.

The home belongs to billionaire Warren A. Stephens and his wife, Harriet Stephens. The family issued a statement calling Fortaliza "a valued member of the Stephens extended family for 18 years".

They added that "appropriate measures will be taken to ensure that something like this never happens again".

Police do not suspect foul play but the case is under investigation.