Holyoke man dies in fall from Essex Street porch

The victim was identified as Fernando Santiago, 24, of 388 Appleton St.

Republican file photo

HOLYOKE – A 24-year-old city man was killed after he fell from a fourth-floor porch of an apartment building on Essex Street early Sunday morning.

Fernando Santiago, of 388 Appleton St., fell from a porch at about 2:22 a.m. and died later at the hospital, Police Sgt. Daniel F. Reardon said.

“He suffered a severe head injury and an injured arm in the fall,” Reardon said.

Police detectives are now investigating to see if Santiago’s death was an accident, or if foul play was involved.

Officers found pieces of wood from the porch on the ground beside Santiago when they arrived at the 168 Essex St. apartment building, he said.

Police are asking anyone who may have seen the fall from the building or talked to Santiago before his death to call the criminal investigations bureau at 322-6900, he said.

Santiago was arguing with a woman at his home at about 11 p.m. Saturday, a little more than 3 hours before his death. Police responded to a call of a disturbance and broke up that argument, Reardon said.

“He may have been in the building trying to locate people he was arguing with earlier,” Reardon said.