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Man Found Dead On Broadcast Tower

OAK PARK (WWJ) - A young man has been found dead 1,000 feet up near the top of a broadcast transmission tower in Oak Park.

Police said the man, who is believed to be in his 20s, was found by a crew doing routine maintenance on the 1,100-foot tower.  A witness said he was wearing only a t-shirt and underwear.

Police said man's body was found resting on a platform. It could have been there for a week or more since it's been that long since anyone has worked on the tower.

How the man got up there remains a mystery.

"(We believe) he went up there of his own accord, and we don't have any information on who he is at this point. We don't know how he got up there.  It appears he got up there on his own, but the investigation is underway," said Southfield Police Lieutenant Samantha Kretzschmar.

Kretzschmar said it would have taken the man about an hour and a half to climb up that far.

TV Channels 20, 56, and 62 were off the air because of the situation. The tower, on Meyers Road just north of Eight Mile, is leased out by Richland Tower to WWJ-TV.

Stay with WWJ for more on this story.

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