Police are attempting to piece together the details of an accident that occurred in the early hours of Friday morning which sent a male Penn student to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in critical condition.
According to Penn Police officials, the student fell from a height of about 45 feet from the roof of either 3928 or 3930 Spruce Street.
While police have not released the student's name, friends have identified him as College junior Andrew Midzak. HUP officials said that Midzak was in stable condition, but remained in the hospital yesterday.
Shortly before 1 a.m. on Friday, police received two consecutive calls from the 3900 block of Spruce Street.
The first call came from someone at 3930 Spruce Street, saying that a person was on the roof whom the caller feared to be a burglar, according to police.
As the individual apparently scaled the four-foot wall between the two residences, a person residing at 3928 Spruce Street called independently of the previous caller to say there was a burglar on the roof of that building, as well.
Police arrived at the area between 3928 and 3926 Spruce Street to investigate the burglary and found the student lying injured on the ground between the two houses.
Penn Police were the first to find the student and called for medical assistance.
The student was soon admitted to HUP in critical condition.
"It appears to be an accident," University spokeswoman Phyllis Holtzman said. "But we still don't know any of the circumstances yet."
Police officials said that the incident was most likely an accident.
They are currently working in conjunction with HUP and utilizing other University organizations to ensure the student's recovery and continue their investigation into what happened leading up to the accident.
"The police will be working with other divisions of the University to inquire about the circumstances leading up to this incident," Vice President for Public Safety Maureen Rush said.
As of last night, Vice Provost for University Life Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum said that she had no additional information regarding the student.
A police investigation thus far has shown that the student was not actually burglarizing either residence. But police said he had, for a reason still unknown, climbed to the roof of 3928 Spruce Street from a fire escape located behind 3930 Spruce on Delancey Street.
University officials would not disclose whether alcohol was involved in the incident.
Friends of Midzak who visited him yesterday afternoon confirmed that he is doing much better than he was when he was first admitted to the hospital.
"He is going to be OK," said one friend who spoke on the condition of anonymity. "It looks like he'll probably have a 100 percent recovery. He had several broken bones and luckily nothing permanent. He should have a full recovery."
The Daily Pennsylvanian is an independent, student-run newspaper. Please consider making a donation to support the coverage that shapes the University. Your generosity ensures a future of strong journalism at Penn.
DonatePlease note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.