5-year-old dies after two-story fall from home in Everett
Sep 6, 2024, 7:59 AM | Updated: 9:10 am
South County Fire truck with insignia on display. (Photo courtesy of South County Fire)
(Photo courtesy of South County Fire)
A five-year-old boy died in a tragic accident after falling approximately 15 feet from a second-story window in Everett.
Firefighters rushed the 5-year-old boy to the hospital after he landed on a concrete surface. He later died from his injuries at the hospital.
More WA news: Public Lands Commissioner primary race decided by less than 50 votes following recount
Christie Veley, the public information officer for South County Fire, is pleading with families to take extra steps to keep young kids away from open windows. This tragic accident was at least the 19th time this year in Snohomish County that a child fell from a window, according to the fire department.
“Try to keep furniture away from windows, so you discourage kids from climbing on the furniture to get to the window,” Veley told KIRO Newsradio. “And also try to install a window stop or a guard.”
Fire departments throughout Washington have laid out a series of steps to prevent these accidents from happening in the future.
- Use window stops or guards that keep windows from opening more than four inches.
- Move furniture such as cribs, desks, beds and tables away from windows.
- Plant bushes and flower beds under windows to soften landing surfaces.
- Do not rely on window screens to prevent falls.
- Keep windows closed and locked when not in use.
- Actively supervise children at all times, especially around open windows.
“If you have a child in your home and you have a window on the second or third story, your child is at risk,” Veley said. “Kids are curious. They press on the window screens. Window screens only withstand about five pounds of pressure before they give way.”
More from South County Fire: Firefighters deploy boats to extinguish Edmount Island fire
For families that can’t afford window stops, South County Fire has made them available for free through grant funding while supplies last. Visit South County Fire’s website for more information.
Frank Sumrall is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read his stories here and you can email him here.
