Window washer dies after fall from downtown building

A window washer fell from a downtown building Tuesday and suffered fatal injuries, San Diego police said.

San Diego Union-Tribune

June 12, 2018 2:50 PM PT

A window washer who fell from an East Village building Tuesday has died from his injuries, a San Diego police lieutenant said.

The man was identified by the Medical Examiner’s office as 61-year-old James Stinson of Jamul. He fell from the eight-story building on J Street near 11th Street around 8:45 a.m. Stinson was taken to a hospital, where he died, police Lt. Chris Sharp told OnScene TV.

Police are trying to determine what floor Stinson was on when he fell. He was found on the floor of the building’s courtyard by emergency responders.

Authorities initially reported Stinson had suffered a serious injury to his arm in the fall.

Sharp said Stinson was washing windows with a partner, but his partner was in a different area when he fell. Police were trying to determine what kind of safety apparatus was being used.

“There was equipment around him and it appeared he was harnessed, but we don’t know how it was applied,” Sharp said. “We are still in the early stage of this.”

Police and Cal/OSHA will be investigating the circumstances of the fatal fall and the District Attorney’s Office is looking into the workplace mishap, Sharp said.

One witness reported seeing the window washer on the fifth floor but someone else said Stinson may have been on the roof when he fell. “It was a rather significant height based on his injuries,” Sharp said.

Police were trying to determine if cameras at the building captured the fall.

Cal/OSHA is investigating the incident to determine if any workplace safety regulations were violated. Inspections tend to last three to six months, a spokesman said.

Twitter: @karenkucher

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karen.kucher@sduniontribune.com

UPDATES:

5:49 p.m. The article was updated with information from the Medical Examiner’s Office.

2:55 p.m.: The article was updated with information from Cal/OSHA.

1:00 p.m. : This article was updated with additional details.

11:30 a.m.: This article was updated with additional details.

This article was originally published at 9:55 a.m.