An 18-year-old individual sustained severe injuries considered life-threatening after plummeting 20 stories while attempting to climb an out-of-service elevator. The incident occurred on Monday, August 3, when the teenager, part of a group trespassing at the decommissioned Checkerboard Grain Elevator in Minneapolis around 8:30 p.m., fell hundreds of feet onto a platform below, as reported by the Minneapolis Police Department to PEOPLE.
The teen’s companions contacted the authorities, believing he had not survived the fall. In a press conference broadcasted by Fox 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul the following day, it was mentioned that the police and fire department arrived at the scene and provided emergency medical treatment using a ladder truck.
The young person, whose identity remains undisclosed, was rushed to Hennepin Healthcare with critical injuries. No updates on the individual’s condition have been shared so far.
Minneapolis Police Sgt. Garrett Parten described the incident, highlighting that the teenager was hanging from a beam before the fall, deeming the survival as “miraculous.” Parten emphasized the risks involved in such activities, stating that while seeking adventure, the actions were illegal and extremely hazardous.
Concerns have been raised by nearby residents about the regular presence of trespassers at the abandoned site. A resident named Vox Payne explained that the teenager was engaged in a dangerous activity called a ‘dead arm hang,’ where one hangs from a building using only one arm.
Following the tragic event, Checkerboard LLC, the property owner, expressed sympathy for the injured young person and their family. They assured cooperation with the ongoing investigation to determine the cause of the incident.
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