Belle Chasse Teen Dies After Fall Inside Plaza Tower

A teenager from Belle Chasse, Louisiana, died after falling inside the vacant Plaza Tower high-rise in downtown New Orleans, according to the New Orleans Police Department, as reported by Fox8. The fall occurred inside the 45-story tower, which has sat empty and structurally compromised in the city's Central Business District for years.

What happened inside Plaza Tower?

NOPD confirmed the death followed a fall inside the abandoned skyscraper, Fox8 reported. The department did not release additional detail on the floor, the time of the fall, or how the teenager entered the building, according to the outlet's account. Plaza Tower has been fenced and posted against trespassing for years, but the perimeter has been breached repeatedly by people seeking access to the empty floors.

Who was the victim?

The person who died was described in NOPD's account, relayed by Fox8, only as a teenager from Belle Chasse, an unincorporated community in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, roughly 15 miles south of downtown New Orleans. Fox8 did not report the teenager's name, age, or the circumstances that brought the group or individual to the tower, and no additional identifying information has been made public as of this report.

What is Plaza Tower's history?

Plaza Tower opened in 1969 as an office building and has stood vacant since the early 2000s. It has become one of the most recognized derelict structures in New Orleans, drawing photographers, trespassers and, periodically, redevelopment proposals that have not materialized. The building's owners and the city have cycled through security fencing and boarded entrances over the years, though unauthorized entry has continued to be reported at the site.

What happens next in the investigation?

Fox8's report indicates NOPD is treating the death as a fall inside the structure, without additional detail on whether investigators are pursuing it as accidental or examining the building's security and access points. It was not reported whether the department plans to refer the incident to the building's ownership or to city code enforcement, nor whether additional charges related to trespassing are being considered. HTT News will note any update from NOPD or the Orleans Parish coroner's office if one is issued.

What are the risks of exploring derelict high-rises?

Abandoned high-rises like Plaza Tower present hazards that are not always visible from ground level: missing floor sections, corroded railings, unlit stairwells, and elevator shafts with removed doors. HTT News' urban-exploration desk has previously outlined the structural red flags that indicate a floor or stairwell is unsafe to cross, including sagging ceilings, standing water pooling near load-bearing walls, and audible cracking underfoot. None of those specific conditions have been confirmed at Plaza Tower in connection with this incident, and no findings from NOPD have linked the fall to a particular structural defect.

What to watch

• Whether NOPD or the Orleans Parish coroner's office releases the teenager's identity or additional circumstances of the fall.
• Whether Plaza Tower's ownership group responds to renewed scrutiny of the building's fencing and entry points.
• Whether the city of New Orleans issues any statement on code enforcement or demolition plans tied to the tower.
• Whether additional reporting from Fox8 or other New Orleans outlets adds detail on how the teenager accessed the building.

Plaza Tower remains privately owned and is not open to the public. NOPD's statement to Fox8 did not include a timeline for closing out the investigation.

Why does Plaza Tower keep drawing trespassers?

Despite fencing and boarded-up ground-floor entrances, Plaza Tower has remained a persistent draw for people seeking to photograph or explore its 45 empty stories, according to Fox8's account of the building's recent history. The tower's scale and its visibility from downtown New Orleans have made it a recurring subject for urban explorers and photographers even as the structure has sat unused for more than two decades. Security measures at the site have not stopped repeated unauthorized entry, the outlet reported, though it did not detail how often NOPD or the building's owners have responded to previous breaches.

HTT News' urban-exploration desk has cautioned that vacant high-rises of this scale carry risks that differ from smaller abandoned structures, including longer, unlit stairwell runs and floor plans that can disorient people unfamiliar with the building's layout. Fox8's reporting did not indicate whether the teenager who died was alone or with others at the time of the fall, and NOPD has not said whether the death has prompted any new discussion of fencing or access-point repairs at the site.

Artiglio is A coming-soon iPhone chief of staff for briefings and drafts. Not on the App Store yet.