AMHERST - A 23-year-old man who attempted to ride his bicycle on the roof of a North Pleasant Street home at 2 a.m. Wednesday escaped serious injury when he veered off the roof and fell 15 to 20 feet, a fire official said.



The man, whose name was not released to the public, complained of a sore wrist and general aches and pains but was otherwise not injured, said Fire Chief Tim Nelson said.

The man fell approximately 15 to 20 feet to the ground from the roof of 407 North Pleasant St., which is located just south of the entrance to the University of Massachusetts campus.

The fire department was called to the scene at 1:51 a.m.

Nelson said the man was not attempting to jump off the roof on his bicycle but apparently fell off by accident.

"He was just trying to ride his bike on the roof," he said. "I guess it seemed like a good idea at the time --they always do."

Nelson said alcohol is believed to be involved.

When the ambulance arrived on scene the man was sitting on the ground being tended to by friends. He had a bag of frozen vegetables wrapped around his wrist. Nelson described the man was very polite and apologetic while he was being tended by ambulance staff.

Nelson said the man was taken to Baystate Medical Center as a precaution.