Boy, 15, falls to death at Robbinsville Hindu temple
ROBBINSVILLE » A house of worship has turned into a place of tragedy.
A 15-year-old boy fell to his death shortly before 4 p.m. on Thursday night at BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, a Hindu temple in Robbinsville, police said in a statement.
The Hatfield, Pa. teen was volunteering on a construction project at the temple when he fell approximately 45 feet from the ceiling, Robbinsville police said.
When first responders arrived, they found the teen unconscious and began CPR. The victim was then transported to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital at Hamilton, where he was pronounced dead approximately an hour later. Robbinsville police said the fall is under investigation but “all indications” are pointing to that it was a “tragic accident.”
A spokeswoman for Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) said Friday the agency is aware of the incident and has launched its own investigation.
Police nor temple officials have not released the teen’s name.
“The entire BAPS family is heartbroken by the tragic accident that took the life of one of our young volunteers,” BAPS said in a statement. “The prayers, condolences, and support of every BAPS family are with the family of this talented young man, whose loss will be felt by all those fortunate to have known him. We will continue to fully cooperate with the investigation into this tragic accident by the Robbinsville Police Department.”
The temple is located at 112 N. Main Street. The building is one of the largest Hindu temples in the country and its design consists of magnificent Italian marble and exquisite statues.
Thousands of worshippers flocked to the temple’s opening in August 2014.