Falling AC units in NYC are rare but can be deadly

NEW YORK (WPIX) – Summer is a great time to be in New York City, but there is something even the most bonafide New Yorker fears: An air conditioning unit falling from an apartment window.

A Reddit user recently posed the question: Have you heard of people dying in the city because of AC units falling out of windows?

“Not personally, but have obviously heard the horror stories,” wrote LetterRip 1985. “It’s one of those things you’d probably do best not worry about because you can drive yourself crazy.”

In the past 40 years, there has been one documented case of an air conditioner falling from a window and killing a pedestrian in New York City.

“A man walking down East 23rd Street was fatally injured yesterday when an air-conditioner slipped from the window of the building,” the New York Times reported on Oct. 27, 1988. “The man, identified as Vito DeGiorgio, 37 years old, of Sand Rock Avenue in Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., was taken to Bellevue Hospital Center, where he was pronounced dead at 3:45 P.M.” 

There have also been a handful of cases where falling ACs have injured pedestrians walking in New York City.

• In 2010, a 67-year-old man was walking with his dog when an air conditioner fell from a six-story window, bounced onto an awning, and hit him in the head, according to Reiff Law Firm. The man filed a lawsuit after he suffered a traumatic injury and was in a coma for two weeks. 
• In 2014, a high school teacher was hit by a falling AC while training for the New York City Marathon, according to the Intelligencer.
• In 2016, on the Upper West Side, a dangling AC fell and hit a man. He suffered a broken arm, according to ABCNewYork. 
• In 2018, a commercial air conditioning unit fell from 28 stories and injured 10 people.
• Also in 2018, a Bronx man was injured by an AC unit that fell onto him while he was sitting on a bench, the NY Daily News reported.
• In 2021, an FDNY firefighter was injured when an AC unit fell onto him. He was wearing a helmet. 

How to keep your AC from falling out of the window

New Yorkers should follow the manufacturer’s installation instructions and use support brackets if needed, a spokesman for the Department of Buildings told Nexstar’s WPIX on Thursday.

“Window air conditioning units are an efficient tool for cooling the interior of your home during the hot summer months, but care must be taken to ensure they are installed properly,” the spokesperson said.

The Department of Buildings has a list of what to look for when purchasing and installing air conditioning units. 

• Calculate the room size to be cooled so that you buy an AC unit with enough capacity.
• Obtain permission for installation from building management.
• Make sure that electrical service is adequate. AC units should have dedicated outlets.
• Ensure that the window and frame where the unit will be installed are in good condition.

Tenants concerned about whether their AC unit is correctly installed should contact their landlord or management company. If a DOB inspector finds an improperly installed AC window unit, they can issue enforcement actions against the landlord, the spokesperson said.

Air conditioning installation guidelines can be found on the DOB’s website.