Teen falls through roof after climbing onto building in Dedham

DEDHAM, MASS. (WHDH) - A teenager escaped serious injury Wednesday after falling through the roof of a commercial building in Dedham, officials said.

Emergency crews who responded to the scene determined the boy had climbed onto the roof and fell through, landing on a floor inside, according to the Dedham Police Department.

After forcing open a steel door to free the child, officials said they found that the child was “lucky to avoid serious injury,” the department said in a tweet.

“He fell about 15 feet in total, through a ladder, and we called from assistant from the main ladder, and we used the jaws of life to extricate him,” Dedham Fire Lt. William Walsh said.

The small, unused room was sealed off years ago, which made it difficult for Dedham firefighters to get to the injured teen.

Firefighters quickly realized the trapped teen couldn’t climb out himself, and there was no way one of their guys would step on that unstable roof.

“We went through a steel door, and it had concrete hanging from it,” Walsh said.

Witnesses say the boy was able to walk out on his own. He was checked out by EMTs, but didn’t need to go to the hospital.

“He was unscathed, walked out, which was lucky,” Walsh said.

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