KAILUA-KONA — A 26-year-old man who fell about 30 feet through the makai Brewery Block building around 6 a.m. Saturday has been transferred to Queen’s Medical Center on Oahu.
The man’s condition was unknown at press time Monday. He was initially sent to Kona Community Hospital in critical condition after the fall before being transferred to the Honolulu hospital.
Friends told police the man was on the roof attempting to recover a drone.
“The story (holds together), so far as we can officially determine, there was a drone and he was on the roof,” said Hawaii Police Police Sgt. Brad Feliciano. The case is being investigated as a public accident.
The man was walking on the roof when he stepped on one of the translucent skylight panels on the ceiling and fell through. The man fell into the storage area of Warehouse Direct Flooring, striking the concrete floor. His friends attempted to get help breaking into the building from a man, who asked another resident to call police.
That call came at 7 a.m.
That may be as much as an hour after the accident happened. There was a call made at 6 a.m. to the Warehouse Direct Flooring main office, which owner Peter Ewing believes was by one of the people with the accident victim.
After police were notified, the owner of the Brewery Block building unlocked the door and allowed first responders access. Ewing was on the scene after the man was taken away by EMS.
Ewing said the accident cleaned up and was open for business Monday.
“I was told: ‘It was lucky that he was with people. If he was not, I would’ve walked in on him on Monday. Lucky for him too, if he is going to survive,’” he said.