Kankakee, IL — A man died after falling approximately 35 feet onto church pews inside a Kankakee sanctuary, according to authorities.
According to authorities, the man was pronounced deceased Wednesday afternoon at a local hospital following the incident earlier in the day.
Authorities said first responders were dispatched just before 11:30 a.m. to the First Church of the Nazarene at 1000 N Entrance Ave for reports of a fall. Upon arrival, crews found a man suffering from severe trauma after falling from a man lift inside the sanctuary.
According to authorities, the man, identified as a church member, had been using the lift to inspect damage from last week’s storm when the equipment tipped over, causing him to fall onto church pews below.
Authorities said rescue crews spent approximately 30 minutes conducting a heavy extrication to free the man from the lift and surrounding debris. A helicopter ambulance was initially requested, but the man’s condition prevented air transport.
He was instead transported by ground ambulance to a local hospital, where he later died from his injuries.
The man’s name has not yet been released pending notification of family members.
