Fife man drowns after falling into storm drain
FIFE, Wash. -- Police say a man drowned Friday night after falling head first into a storm drain.
The man lived at an apartment complex in the 2300 block of 62nd Avenue East. At roughly 8 p.m., he was trying to put his trash into a compactor when he accidentally dropped his keys into a nearby storm drain.
He bent down and removed the drain cover in an attempt to reach his keys, but he lost his balance and fell head first into the drain, according to Fife Police Lt. Tom Thompson.
Thompson said the drain was only three feet deep, but there was roughly two feet of water inside and the victim couldn't get himself out.
Another tenant found the man a short time later. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The man lived at an apartment complex in the 2300 block of 62nd Avenue East. At roughly 8 p.m., he was trying to put his trash into a compactor when he accidentally dropped his keys into a nearby storm drain.
He bent down and removed the drain cover in an attempt to reach his keys, but he lost his balance and fell head first into the drain, according to Fife Police Lt. Tom Thompson.
Thompson said the drain was only three feet deep, but there was roughly two feet of water inside and the victim couldn't get himself out.
Another tenant found the man a short time later. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
What a way to go.
His name was Pat, he was my brother. He was a great brother, husband, father and grand father. I just lost a piece of my heart last night. I will miss him dearly. :{
@vikingman Pat was my father in law, and he was an amazing man. He loved being a grandfather more than anything. My children are hurting so much over the loss of their Papa.
 @vikingman Very sorry for your loss! When I heard it as breaking news last night, I was just stunned! I never thought anything like that could ever happen! Very sad! Thoughts and prayers. :(
 @vikingman I am so sorry. I wish I could give you your heart back. ;(
My brother and I are also very close. I can only imagine what you are feeling. My thoughts and prayers.
 @vikingman Oh no, I am so very sorry for your terrible loss.
 @vikingman So sorry for your loss.  You and your family have my sympathy.
 @vikingman I am so sorry about the loss of your brother, life can be so unfair sometimes. I hope that your fond memories of him may bring you some comfort. Please, do yourself a favor and don't read these on line remarks. Many of them will be condolences, but many of them will be cold and heartless, and they will hurt you. You don't need that negative influence in your life right now.
 @vikingman I am so sorry. It's always difficult to lose someone close to us, but especially this time of the year. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
How horrible, and terrifying. Poor guy.
That is so sad. I know this would be something that I would do also if I drop my keys. My thoughts are with the family.Â
Darwin! Darwin is the man!
 @yeahguy Really? You are an insentitive creep! DO yourself and remove your comment before anyone else sees how stupid and heartless you are!
 @yeahguy We can always count on someone posting some insipid comment about Darwin when someone dies. Thanks for keeping up the notion that there are thousands of people with keyboards but little intelligence.
 @NaviDog  @yeahguy Karma will come back around to him. Meanwhile, everyone flag him as offensive.
There's no other way to say it; That just plain sucks! Could never imagine that! Horrible accident! Thoughts and prayers to the family. :(
Good Lord, was he elderly? that is just terrible, I can't imagine the terror he felt..
How big around are these storm drains?
 @MC It could not have been a manhole if he dropped his keys. It was a storm drain. Yeah they're big enough you could slip in if you're skinny enough, but small enough you probably would get stuck and not be able to get out which I asume is this case.
 @GermanAmericanNOTWhiteCaucasian Yes, you know I was thinking these drains at the corner of sidewalks, could it have been a man hole instead? that is just frightening something like this could happen, I was just wondering about his age, I know sometimes the elderly lose balance sometimes when bending over, I know because I'm one(over 60) and sometimes lose my balance when I bend over too far, all in all this is just horrendous, it just shocked me when I read it.
 @MC That's what I was wondering. I've never seen a storm drain that I would be able to fit into.