Man survives after falling from ninth storey of high rise and landing on BMW’s sunroof
The man screamed loudly after the fall and was in a critical condition as of Thursday
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A 31-year-old man in New Jersey miraculously survived a fall from a nine-storey building after landing on the sunroof of a parked BMW car.
The incident occurred on 26 Journal Square in Jersey City on Wednesday morning. Onlookers said they heard a loud sound, seemingly like an explosion, when the unidentified man crashed onto the roof of the BMW 330i and screamed loudly.
The man had jumped from an open window on the ninth floor and was later taken to a hospital where he was in a critical condition on Thursday, said Jersey City spokesperson Kimberly Wallace-Scalcione, according to a New York Post report.
It remains unclear what the man was doing inside the building. He did not identify himself or cooperate with police as of Thursday, said the report.
One of the onlookers, Christina Smith, posted photographs and graphic footage of the injured man on her social media. Ms Smith was quoted by the Post as saying that she “didn’t think it [the crash] was a person at first.”
“The back window of the car just busted out – exploded. Then the guy jumped up and started screaming. His arm was all twisted,” Ms Smith said.
“I was like, ‘Oh my God!’ I was shocked. It was like being in a movie.”
Ms Smith also said the man appeared disoriented and asked “what happened” after managing to climb out of the debris.
Other onlookers attempted to help him and asked him to stay on the ground, but the man reportedly insisted on being left alone.
“Leave me alone. I want to die,” the man said, according to Mark Bordeaux, one of the eyewitnesses who worked at the building.
Ms Wallace-Scalcione said police had shut the area around the high rise briefly on Wednesday. Investigations were underway and no suspicious circumstances appear to be involved, she added.
If you are experiencing feelings of distress and isolation, or are struggling to cope, The Samaritans offers support; you can speak to someone for free over the phone, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.
If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). The Helpline is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments