Port Chester: Teen dies falling through hospital roof

PORT CHESTER - Police said a 14-year-old boy died after falling through the roof of a vacant hospital in Port Chester overnight.

The teenager fell down an elevator shaft of the former United Hospital building on Tuesday night and was taken to Greenwich Hospital, where he died, Port Chester police said. Police have not released the boy's name yet.

Port Chester Police Chief Richard Conway said the boy fell about 60 feet, and that it took about two hours to pull him from the elevator shaft.

"It was probably one of the most perilous and difficult rescue efforts that I've seen," Conway said.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of the victim," he added in a press release.

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Police said they were called to the property at 406 Boston Post Road at 8:23 p.m. because youths were on the roof of the former hospital. Police said they arrived and saw seven or eight teenagers, ages 14 to 16, on the roof.

Officers used their public address system on their patrol cars to try to guide the teens down, and as officers approached the back of the building, three of the teens said their friend had fallen through a hole in the roof.

Police said they entered the building, climbed to the roof and helped the remaining teens to safety, while other officers tried to find the boy who had fallen. Police soon found the boy at the bottom of an elevator shaft, and he was pulled out around 10:40 p.m. and taken to the hospital.

Conway said late Tuesday night that detectives were interviewing the teenagers, and that anyone with information on the incident is asked to call them at 914-939-1000.

Port Chester firefighters, the Westchester County police Emergency Service Unit and the Port Chester-Rye EMS also responded and helped get the boy out of the elevator shaft.

Conway said police have been called to the property in the past for various things. Starwood Capital Group, which owns the property, did not immediately respond to requests for comment about what security measures are in place there.

"It's a terrible tragedy," Mayor Richard Falanka said. "I want to extend my condolences to the family." 

The United Hospital site on Boston Post Road is in the process of being redeveloped into a $450 million project that would include 1.05 million square feet of hotel space, restaurants, apartments and offices.

Staff writer Matt Spillane contributed to this report.

Twitter: @ChrisEberhart2