A tragic accident in New Delhi, India has left an 18-year-old man dead and his friend in critical condition after being struck by a falling air conditioning unit. The incident, captured on surveillance footage, has raised concerns about the safety of overhead fixtures in urban areas.
On August 17, 2024, 18-year-old Jitesh was killed when a large air conditioning unit plummeted from the second floor of a building and landed directly on his head. When the accident occurred, Jitesh was sitting on a scooter, talking to his 17-year-old friend Pranshu. Video footage shows Pranshu offering a hug to Jitesh, possibly a farewell greeting, and moving away as the unit landed on the victim.
According to police reports, the outdoor component of an AC system installed in a second-floor flat was dislodged from its mounting.
Pranshu, from Patel Nagar, was also hit by the falling unit and is currently in critical condition. Jitesh, a resident of Doriwalan, was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.
The Delhi Police have registered a First Information Report (document detailing a potential crime) under sections of causing death due to negligence and are investigating the matter. They have questioned the flat owners and are likely to make an arrest soon.
This tragic event has sparked discussions about the safety of overhead fixtures in densely populated urban areas. Many residents have expressed concern about the potential dangers posed by improperly secured air conditioning units, with people in the apartment complex calling in mechanics to check their AC units.
While incidents of this nature are relatively rare, they are not unheard of. In New York City, there has been one documented case of a fatality due to a falling air conditioner in the past 40 years. On October 26, 1988, 37-year-old Vito DeGiorgio was killed when an air conditioner fell from the seventh floor of a building on East 23rd Street. The incident occurred when maintenance workers unscrewed the bottom of the air conditioner, causing it to fall when the window was lifted.
Several injuries have been reported due to falling air conditioners in New York City. In 2010, a 67-year-old man was seriously injured when an AC unit fell from a six-story window. In 2014, a high school teacher named Chloe Pinkerton was hit by a falling air conditioner while training for the New York City Marathon.
The New Delhi incident has prompted local authorities to consider implementing stricter regulations regarding the installation and maintenance of air conditioning units and other overhead fixtures. Similar measures have been proposed in other cities around the world in response to comparable accidents.