Window washer dies after fall from Manhattan building

A window washer fell from scaffolding and plummeted five floors to his death in Tribeca, authorities said.

The victim, who sources said was not wearing a harness at the time of the fatal accident, fell from a building at Greenwich and Jay streets at 1:10 p.m. Tuesday and landed in front of the high-end rug store Carini Lang.

He was sitting outside the window, and just holding on with his left hand while cleaning the window with his right hand, said Edin Arias, 39, a carpenter who was working in the area.

When I saw him he wasnt wearing no harness nothing to get him safe, nothing to keep them safe, Arias said.

I was surprised he wasnt wearing any safety equipment, said John Cataneo, who works as a plumber and witnessed the fatal plunge. Any kind of contracting activity like that you have to take your safety equipment seriously and make sure you have got it and its in good working condition.

The victim, who has not been identified, was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.

There was a woman standing in front of me with a stroller and she started screaming, A man fell, call 911! I didnt get too close but I saw his head was on the snow, the witness, who refused to be identified, explained.

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Window washer dies after fall from Manhattan building