Monday, January 22, 2007

Man survives 17 storey fall

An American man has survived after falling 17 floors from the window of a hotel in the US city of Minneapolis.

Joshua Hanson, 29, landed on a roof awning and suffered multiple broken bones with some internal injuries, but is expected to recover.

Mr Hanson crashed through the floor-to-ceiling window at the end of a corridor after returning to the Hyatt Regency after a night of drinking. Hotel managers said they would investigate the unprecedented incident.

Police Lt Dale Barness told the Associated Press that Mr Hanson must have "an angel on his shoulder or something".

"He's a lucky guy."

Police said Mr Hanson finished drinking with friends and returned to the hotel at about 0130. Lt Barness said that as his lift arrived at the 17th floor he ran down towards the end of the corridor, where he somehow lost balance and crashed through the floor-to-ceiling window.

But his fall was broken by the awning one floor above the ground. He was found on the ground and needed to be freed from the awning before being taken to hospital for treatment.

No comments: