Photographer's death in fall from Loop hotel highlights risks of urban exploration
Mike Kinsch
Mike Kinsch  hopped a fence last year and sneaked into the abandoned Edgewater Medical Center.
 He  wore a mask to protect  himself  from air thickened by two decades of decay. As paint chips crunched beneath  his  boots   Kinsch  strolled the dark hallways of the former hospital where Hillary Clinton and John Wayne Gacy were born.  Kinsch  said  he  found discarded desks  old photos and even prescription drugs.
âItâs really about exploring your own curiosity â  Kinsch  said.
Even well-prepared explorers face danger  however.  Kinsch  said the Edgewater hospital's basement is flooded and  during a return trip in the winter   he  had to crawl over thin ice.
âItâs a scary experience (because) thereâs 5 feet of water "  he  said. âYou donât know whatâs in the water.â
âI was climbing up to get up to it  and the steps of the building were collapsing below my feet  so I couldn't go down â  he  recalled. âThese places are closed for a reason  because they aren't safe. So it comes with the territory.â
[TGT] hopped a fence last year and sneaked into the abandoned Edgewater Medical Center.
  [TGT]   wore a mask to protect   [TGT]   from air thickened by two decades of decay. As paint chips crunched beneath   [TGT]   boots    [TGT] strolled the dark hallways of the former hospital where Hillary Clinton and John Wayne Gacy were born.   [TGT] said   [TGT]   found discarded desks  old photos and even prescription drugs.
âItâs really about exploring your own curiosity â   [TGT] said.
Even well-prepared explorers face danger  however.   [TGT] said the Edgewater hospital's basement is flooded and  during a return trip in the winter    [TGT]   had to crawl over thin ice.
âItâs a scary experience (because) thereâs 5 feet of water "   [TGT]   said. âYou donât know whatâs in the water.â
âI was climbing up to get up to it  and the steps of the building were collapsing below my feet  so I couldn't go down â  he  recalled. âThese places are closed for a reason  because they aren't safe. So it comes with the territory.â