Fall From Roof Kills Off-Duty Md. Firefighter

Alcohol May Have Been A Factor, Police Say

A Howard County firefighter and paramedic known for her athletic skills died after falling from the roof of a Baltimore museum early Thursday.

Baltimore police are calling the death of Mary Rollins, 27, an accident. But they are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding her fatal fall.

Rollins, a Baltimore resident, was apparently on the roof of the Baltimore Museum of Industry about 2:30 a.m. when, while attempting to get a better view of the city skyline, she slipped on a catwalk and plunged to the ground, according to a city police spokesman. Rollins was with three companions, including an employee of the museum, at the time of the accident, police spokesman Troy Harris said.

"Alcohol may have been a factor in this accident," said Harris, who said an autopsy would be performed.

Police estimated the distance of the fall to be 65 feet, while a museum official put it closer to 30 feet.

The museum, on Key Highway at the Inner Harbor, is housed partially in a historic oyster cannery dating to 1865, but it also has a newer wing, which is where the accident occurred, according to museum director Roland Woodward.

He said Rollins and her companions gained access to the roof using a stairway that is part of the building's fire escape.

"There is a big neon sign across the harbor side of our building," he said. "They were apparently climbing onto or off of the sign" when Rollins fell.

The museum employee who was present has been suspended without pay pending further investigation, Woodward said.

"There is no reason for them to have been where they were," Woodward said.

Rescue workers who responded to the call took Rollins to Maryland Shock Trauma Center, where she was pronounced dead at 6:30 a.m. Thursday, police said.

Rollins's death has left her colleagues shaken, said Howard County Fire and Rescue spokesman Bill Mould. A member of the department for more than four years, she worked at Station 2 in Ellicott City.

He said Rollins also helped provide agility training to new firefighters.

"She was an avid athlete, a sports enthusiast who participated in triathlons and softball," Mould said.

"She worked with the class that is now in the academy. As you can imagine, there is some grieving going on in the department."