A 39-year-old firefighter from Saint John, N.B., was out with friends early Friday when he climbed a hydraulic construction lift in downtown Ottawa and fell to his death, police say.

Police said Dale Clinton was out with his friends when he climbed the lift at about 2 a.m. at the corner of Bank and Sparks streets.

He soon fell and Clinton's friends dialed 911.

He was taken to The Ottawa Hospital's Civic campus trauma unit and did not have a pulse upon arrival at hospital, paramedics said.

Clinton soon died of his injuries.

The president of the Saint John firefighters' union left for Ottawa, CBC News has learned, and he is expected to arrive Friday.

The incident is not suspicious, said Det. Steve Lewis of central district investigations.