Window washer dies in fall at JFK Library in Boston

A window washer died Wednesday morning when he fell inside the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston’s Dorchester neighborhood.

Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden said the man fell about 5-7 stories to the ground below. Investigators believe it was a “tragic accident.”

“There’s a lot we still have to determine here and that’s what we’re working on,” Hayden said.

In a statement, John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum director Alan Price said the contractor had worked in the building as a member of a window cleaning company for many years. This week, he was on site to pressure wash the library, but “due to inclement weather, they moved inside to clean the interior of the Pavilion glass.” That’s when the accident occurred.  

Price called the death a “shocking and tragic event”

“Workplace safety has always been a priority in our facility,” he added. “The Boston Police Department and OSHA are conducting a full investigation into this tragic incident.”

The library is closed every Wednesday and was not open to the public when the incident happened. The facility will remain closed on Thursday and will reopen on Friday.