City Officials Ask Landlords To Secure Roofs After Fatal Fall Accident

After a Seattle man fell to his death from a rooftop in Boston last month, city officials are asking landlords in the area to make sure to secure roof access to prevent future accidents as well as liability.

In mid-April, Emerson film student and Ballard High School graduate 21-year-old Justin Amorratanasuchad died in a fall accident while filming a project for school on a roof five stories up. While witnesses to the accident say that the young man slipped and fell while walking backwards near the edge of the roof, authorities are beginning to wonder whether the landlord of the building should have been responsible for keeping residents from accessing the roof.

Residents of the building have said that while the roof access door was sometimes locked, it had been tampered with several times before the accident. Since the fall, the building’s property managers have installed metal plates and dead bolts on the door. The Inspectional Services Department has reported that the landlord of the building may have been cited for broken locks in the past. The investigation will continue.

It is important to understand that even in accidental slip and fall incidents, a building owner, property owner, or landlord could have been negligent in securing their property or keeping residents safe while on their property. For example, in the above case, the landlord may be responsible for damages if he knew about the dangerous condition of the broken lock but failed to fix it. Have more questions about who is responsible for fall accidents and injuries? Contact a Seattle slip and fall attorney today.