Leadiing local German businessman critical after 25 metre balcony fall

A 41-year-old German businessman was last night in a critical condition after falling 25 metres from an eighth floor balcony in Palma. Ralf Gellins, a well known local businessman, his wife and two children have spent the past few months living in an attic apartment in the Es Forti area of the city and at around one o'clock yesterday morning, Gellins was unable to get into his bedroom. His wife was in another room with the children and Gellins decide to try and get into the bedroom via the balcony. But it appears that as he tried to work his way round from one balcony to another, he lost his balance and fell some 25 metres to the ground. As he fell he knocked the top of a lamp post and hit the ground with tremendous force. It was a passing driver who noticed the seriously injured man sprawled on the pavement, lying on his back and still conscious. Within minutes a Local Police unit was at the scene backed up by a 061 mobile medical unit. Paramedics confirmed that the German was in a critical condition and called for an ambulance which rushed the 41-year-old to Son Dureta hospital while firemen cut the electricity supply to the damaged street light. Police opened an inquiry into the incident in order to confirm what exactly happened. A number of residents in the block of flats were questioned and the victim's wife realised what had happened when she heard the noise of breaking glass and looked out the window. Fearing the worst, the wife called a friend to take care of the children before going downstairs to the street.