Dubai, United Arab Emirates (AHN) – A man jumped to his death from the world’s tallest building on Tuesday morning. The man who leapt from the Burj Khalifa is the first recorded suicide since the building was completed last year.
The man, believed to be in his 30s and of Asian descent, jumped from an air vent and landed on a terrace at the tower’s 108th floor, police said.
According to an expert on the building’s architecture, he may have jumped from the 148th floor, where there is a small deck.
Accounts by officials and those who know the building contradict that belief. They said he was more likely to have fallen from the At the Top observatory on the 124th floor.
“The police operations room received a call about a suicide at the Burj Khalifa today, and CID and investigation teams were immediately dispatched,” Dubai police said in a statement.
Investigators said the man was employed by a company inside the tower. Police said statements showed that the man had requested time off but was refused.
Dubai, despite being a tax-free magnet for many expatriates, is also known for its skewed labor laws that overwhelmingly favor employers over employees. This has led to widespread abuse of workers, especially those from India and Asia.
Some believe the man’s suicide was a statement. Suicide rates in Dubai are higher than other developed countries and are linked to the financial situation and social abuse that many workers suffer from.
The 163rd story of Burj Khalifa was completed in January of last year. When it opened it was immediately inundated with problems after its highly touted debut. Issues included electrical issues and bad press following an elevator mishap that trapped more than a dozen people. Others were left stranded on the observation deck on the 124th floor.
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