Crime & Safety

Fatal Fall At Belleville Hospital; Rope Made Of Bedsheets Found: PD

A 72-year-old man was pronounced dead outside Clara Maass Medical Center. Police found a "makeshift rope" hanging out a third-floor window.

BELLEVILLE, NJ — A fatal fall took place at a hospital in Belleville on Tuesday morning, authorities said.

According to the Belleville Police Department, the fall happened at Clara Maass Medical Center. Officers responded to the hospital at 6:14 a.m. after security staff notified them that a patient fell from a third-story window.

Police found an “unresponsive” 72-year-old man at the scene, as well as several bedsheets and blankets tied together, forming a makeshift rope that hung out the window.

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The man was pronounced dead at the scene. His name is being withheld pending notification of his next of kin, Belleville police said.

A hospital spokesperson provided the following statement about the incident to Patch:

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“Clara Maass Medical Center is fully committed to providing a safe environment for our patients, visitors and staff. Per our policy, we are unable to comment any further on active police investigations.”

No additional information was immediately available.

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