# Burj Khalifa: First Suicide Leap **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 11, 2011, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/burj-khalifa-first-suicide-leap/581532 "2011-05-11T16:41:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/burj-khalifa-first-suicide-leap/581532/1 "2011-05-11T16:41:31Z")
I suppose it had to happen eventually. The world’s tallest building, the 160-story Burj Khalifa, in Dubai, just had its first jumper. Story [here](http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/middle-east/110511/burj-khalifa-suicide). A young man in his 20s jumped from the 147th floor, supposedly after his company refused him permission for a vacation. He only fell 39 stories though, as he hit a terrace on the 108th floor. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/burj-khalifa-first-suicide-leap/581532/2 "2011-05-11T16:48:45Z")
> [@](#): > > A worker at the 147th floor told 7DAYS that the floor had no windows or balconies. The man is believed to have climbed out of an airconditioning vent. No _windows_? What kind of perverse design doesn’t have windows? ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/burj-khalifa-first-suicide-leap/581532/3 "2011-05-11T16:54:48Z")
> [@](#): > > Authorities closed the viewing platform on the 124th floor after the incident, it states. You don’t want the sightseers photographing the body! ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/burj-khalifa-first-suicide-leap/581532/4 "2011-05-11T16:55:39Z")
Imagine their surprise as he whizzed past them! ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/burj-khalifa-first-suicide-leap/581532/5 "2011-05-11T16:58:57Z")
> [@spark240](#): > > No _windows_? What kind of perverse design doesn’t have windows? Maybe they mean windows that open, because the building itself definitely has windows of the “see through panel” type. The ones I saw on a google images search don’t look like they can be opened. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/burj-khalifa-first-suicide-leap/581532/6 "2011-05-11T17:00:50Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > He only fell 39 stories though, as he hit a terrace on the 108th floor. Did he survive? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/burj-khalifa-first-suicide-leap/581532/7 "2011-05-11T17:15:53Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > Maybe they mean windows that open, because the building itself definitely has windows of the “see through panel” type. I hope so. I find very tall buildings very impractical, but I always reckoned they had a view. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/burj-khalifa-first-suicide-leap/581532/8 "2011-05-11T17:24:36Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Did he survive? > > 🙂 I suppose going all the way to the ground would have been overkill. We had a jumper in Bangkok one time who hit something similar on his way down. But he hit the edge, and his body ripped in half. One half stayed on the terrace above while the other half continued on to the ground. I suppose the only thing more surprising than seeing a person land in front of you would be seeing half a person land in front of you. Caused quite a panic frm what I heard. ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/burj-khalifa-first-suicide-leap/581532/9 "2011-05-11T17:27:35Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > The world’s tallest building, the 160-story Burj Khalifa… Henceforth known as the **Burj Khaleapa.** …what? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/burj-khalifa-first-suicide-leap/581532/10 "2011-05-11T17:32:56Z")
“Hello, Custodial? Can I have a clean-up up on 108? There’s something gross on my balcony.” ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/burj-khalifa-first-suicide-leap/581532/11 "2011-05-11T17:33:49Z")
> [@spark240](#): > > No _windows_? What kind of perverse design doesn’t have windows? Some very tall buildings have floors dedicated to utility and HVAC systems, and such floors commonly don’t have windows. They might, however, be the floors that allow access to the exterior of the building for various purposes, and/or have external vents. As is apparently the case here. So it might be easier to exit the upper floors from such a floor than from a floor with sealed windows. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/burj-khalifa-first-suicide-leap/581532/12 "2011-05-11T17:35:31Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > We had a jumper in Bangkok one time who hit something similar on his way down. But he hit the edge, and his body ripped in half. One half stayed on the terrace above while the other half continued on to the ground. I suppose the only thing more surprising than seeing a person land in front of you would be seeing half a person land in front of you. Caused quite a panic frm what I heard. Yes, waiting for the shoe, ankle, calf, knee, thigh, waist, thigh, knee, calf, ankle and other shoe to drop. ---
**Author:** ![Kiber](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kiber/32/317_2.png) [@Kiber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiber)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/burj-khalifa-first-suicide-leap/581532/13 "2011-05-11T17:37:43Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > He only fell 39 stories though, as he hit a terrace on the 108th floor. This part somehow makes the story all the more depressing. I mean - it’s bad enough that you want to end your life. But even jumping off the tallest building in the world gets screwed up and ends up a disappointment? Just dayumm. ---
**Author:** ![elninost0rm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ed655f/32.png) [@elninost0rm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elninost0rm)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/burj-khalifa-first-suicide-leap/581532/14 "2011-05-11T17:38:43Z")
> [@Article](#): > > …A local publication, 7DAYS, reported that the man jumped after his employer refused to let him take a vacation. I guess that sent him over the edge. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/burj-khalifa-first-suicide-leap/581532/15 "2011-05-11T17:39:39Z")
There have been times at work where I might have contemplated a jump if I couldn’t get a few days off. I wonder if the guy’s employer got a clue? ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/burj-khalifa-first-suicide-leap/581532/16 "2011-05-11T17:39:42Z")
> [@Kiber](#): > > This part somehow makes the story all the more depressing. I mean - it’s bad enough that you want to end your life. But even jumping off the tallest building in the world gets screwed up and ends up a disappointment? Just dayumm. He had high aspirations. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/burj-khalifa-first-suicide-leap/581532/17 "2011-05-11T17:44:58Z")
> [@spark240](#): > > No _windows_? What kind of perverse design doesn’t have windows? A Mac. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/burj-khalifa-first-suicide-leap/581532/18 "2011-05-11T17:47:55Z")
I wonder what people on the sightseeing floor would have yelled when they saw him falling? “Incoming!”? “Hit the deck!”? ---
**Author:** ![Kiber](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kiber/32/317_2.png) [@Kiber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiber)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/burj-khalifa-first-suicide-leap/581532/19 "2011-05-11T17:49:30Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > I wonder what people on the sightseeing floor would have yelled when they saw him falling? > > “Incoming!”? > > “Hit the deck!”? Heads up! Errrr - make that down. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/burj-khalifa-first-suicide-leap/581532/20 "2011-05-11T17:51:05Z")
> [@Kiber](#): > > This part somehow makes the story all the more depressing. I mean - it’s bad enough that you want to end your life. But even jumping off the tallest building in the world gets screwed up and ends up a disappointment? Just dayumm. As Seinfeld said about people that fail to kill themselves. “Great, just another thing you failed at in life. Ending it.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/burj-khalifa-first-suicide-leap/581532.md?page=2)