Man survives fall from 17th floor
The man, identified in a police report as 29-year-old Joshua S. Hanson, of Blair, Wis., landed feet first on a roof overhang near the hotel's main entrance along Nicollet Mall.
Officials at Hennepin County Medical Center weren't commenting on his injuries Saturday night, but police and fire officials said he had multiple broken bones and internal injuries.
KARE-TV reported that doctors had put Hanson in an induced coma.
The man must have "an angel on his shoulder or something," said Minneapolis police Lt. Dale Barsness. "He's a lucky guy."
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According to the police report, Hanson and two friends were out drinking and returned to the Hyatt in a taxi about 1:30 a.m. Saturday.
They might have been horsing around as they took an elevator to the 17th floor, Barsness said. For some reason, Hanson ran from the elevator and down a short hallway toward a floor-to-ceiling window, he said. He apparently lost his balance and crashed through the glass, landing on the roof overhang one floor up from the street.
Rescue crews extricated him from the overhang and metal grating while paramedics worked to stabilize him, said Assistant Fire Chief Ulie Seal. He was strapped on a backboard and brought down in a fire truck basket, he said.
Police reported that Hanson was conscious and communicating when he was taken off the overhang.
"This has never happened before," said Tom Mason, general manager of the Hyatt.
The window was double-paned, and had a safety bar, he said, adding that hotel officials will investigate and "will take whatever steps we have to do to ensure safety."
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)