Sioux Falls Window Washer Falls 5 To His Death

Joshua Keith Obenauer, a 22-year-old Sioux Falls man is dead after falling off the roof of a building on Avera McKennan's campus in central Sioux Falls.

Sioux Falls window washer falls to his death: A man was killed after falling from a roof at Avera McKennan hospital this weekend. It happened at about 12:30 p.m. Saturday. Officer Sam Clemens, Sioux Falls Police, said the 22-year-old victim was a window washer working on top of the Prairie Center on the Avera campus. Clemens said it appeared the man was trying to move some scaffolding equipment on the roof when it fell over the side of the building. Clemens said the man was already attached to the scaffolding and it pulled the victim over the edge. The man fell five floors to his death. Witnesses who worked on the Avera campus tried to help the victim, but the man died later because of his injuries. 

Window cleaner dies after fall from hospital roof: Police have released the name of a 22-year-old window cleaner who died after falling off the roof of a hospital building. Joshua Keith Obenauer was washing windows at Avera McKennan's Prairie Center when the accident happened about 12:30 p.m. Saturday. Police say he was moving scaffolding equipment when it fell over the edge of the building with him attached to a harness. The falling equipment pulled him over the edge. A witness saw the man on the second floor and went to get help, but the man died from the injuries. Police say the frame of the equipment was somewhat on top of him when he was found. Authorities say Obenauer was employed by High Rise Enterprises Inc.

On Saturday, 22-year-old Joshua Obenauer died after falling from a building while washing windows on the Avera McKennan campus. Police were called just after 12:30 p.m. by employees of Prairie Center on the hospital campus on East 23rd Street, after they saw a man on the ground. Obenauer was cleaning windows by himself for the company he worked for, High Rise Enterprises. Clemens said Obenauer was tied to a harness that was attached to scaffolding equipment when the equipment fell from the top of the building, pulling him down with it and landing partially on top of him. Clemens said it’s not clear how far off the ground he was when he fell. He was taken to the hospital immediately, Clemens said, and died later in the day.

Sioux Falls – Joshua Obenauer, age 22, passed away Saturday, September 22, 2012 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Funeral Service will begin at 1:30 PM on Thursday, September 27 at Church of the Harvest in Sioux Falls. A visitation will be held from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM on Wednesday at George Boom Funeral Home in Sioux Falls; visitation will resume at Church of the Harvest with the family present to greet friends from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM on Wednesday evening. Joshua attended elementary school at Cornerstone, Patrick Henry Middle School, and graduated from Washington High School in 2009.

According to biography information from the George Boom Funeral Home website, Obenauer attended Patrick Henry Middle School and graduated from Washington High School in 2009. He is survived by his wife, Amber Obenauer, his parents and six siblings. Clemens was unaware whether the Occupational Safety and Health Administration had been contacted. A message left at the regional office in Bismarck, N.D., wasn’t returned Monday. “This incident is currently under investigation,” said Lindsey Meyers, director of communications at Avera. “Our condolences go out to the family during this difficult time.”

The prairie grass design on the windows of the building.