Window Cleaner Cleaning Hospital Becomes Patient

Identified as 29 year old David Vanbebber Jr. of Riley, Ks. The contract worker fell approximately 30 ft. from the roof of the hospital. He received treatment at Geary Community Hospital before being transported to Stormont Vail Hospital.

Man Falls Several Stories From Geary Community Hospital (Geary County, Kansas) - Officials say a man sustained very serious injuries after falling 3-4 stories in Geary County Monday morning. The man was cleaning windows at Geary Community Hospital in Junction City when he fell to the ground. The man was wearing a rope harness at the time of the accident, according to Geary County Sheriff Tony Wolf. He was taken inside the hospital to be treated.

A 29 year old Riley man, David Vanbebber Jr. was transported to Stormont Vail Hospital in Topeka following an accident as he was washing windows at Geary Community Hospital Monday. Geary County Sheriff Tony Wolf said Vanbebber was “on a harness, and a kind of a rapelling rig off the side of the building there.” And he was washing windows when something went wrong with his rigging or the  harness, and it broke, and down the side of the building he went.” Wolf estimated Vanbebber was approximately 25 to 30 feet off the ground when he fell, or about two stories up in the air. The sheriff reported Vanbebber was believed to have suffered feet and possible back injuries. The incident occurred just before 10 a.m. Monday.

Man in stable condition after fall from GCH roof: A Riley man is in stable condition Tuesday after he fell approximately 30 feet from the Geary Community Hospital roof Monday morning. The Geary County Sheriff’s Department reported contract worker David Van Bebber Jr., 29, received treatment at GCH before he was transported to Stormont-Vail Hospital in Topeka. On Tuesday, GCH Public Relations Director Cyndy Platt said Van Bebber was in fair condition Monday when he was transported to Topeka. Platt said Stormont-Vail officials Tuesday morning told her Van Bebber is in stable condition and awaiting surgery in the intensive care unit.

Sheriff’s department deputies responded to the call shortly before 10 a.m. Monday. Sheriff Tony Wolf on Tuesday said Van Bebber was at the hospital with a crew washing windows. He was experimenting with some new rigging at the time of the fall. “He was over the edge (of the roof) showing these guys how the new rigging worked,” Wolf said. “All of a sudden, the rope broke and down he went.” Van Bebber suffered injuries to his feet, legs and lower back, Wolf said.