Paul Walsh
Star Tribune
MINNEAPOLIS — An 18-year-old “urban explorer” fell “approximately 20 stories” inside a dormant grain elevator in south Minneapolis and was fighting to survive, according to police and the victim’s mother.
The teenager was among several people trespassing on the property Monday evening near Hiawatha Avenue and E. 38th Street , when the 18-year-old plunged about 200 feet to an elevated platform, a police statement said.
Police on Wednesday identified the victim as Lilly Marie “Ash” Ranallo-Korbel, of Forest Lake.
| READ NEXT: Impaled hiker treks 10 miles to avoid medevac bill
A Fire Department incident report noted that “bystanders waved down responders to the backside of a vacant grain elevator, which is frequented by ‘urban explorers.’”
Using a ladder truck, firefighters found Ranallo-Korbel roughly 15 feet above ground “conscious and breathing but in obvious pain and suffering from multiple injuries,” the report continued.
Ranallo-Korbel was placed on a backboard, loaded into a basket and lowered to emergency medical personnel for transport to Hennepin County Medical Center , the report read. Police described the injuries as life-threatening.
The teen’s mother, Nicole Emery , posted on a CaringBridge web page late Wednesday that “the [medical] staff is very realistic with us in letting us know that there is a very real chance that this could go either way. So just asking for prayers that Ash wakes up.”
The teen was “apparently hanging from a beam” at the shuttered Checkerboard elevator before falling, police Sgt. Garrett Parten said during a news briefing.
“This is an individual out having fun, seeking adventure and made a bad decision that resulted in life-changing injuries,” Parten said. “It is miraculous that [the teen] is alive.”
Parten said there were more than 80 trespassing incidents around the city involving grain elevators and other unoccupied spaces last year. That number has topped 100 so far this year.
“What they’re doing is illegal and extremely dangerous,” the sergeant said. “We’ve had 15 people arrested this year for activity in urban exploration.”
Interim Fire Chief Melanie Rucker added, “You’re not only putting yourself in danger, but you’re also putting the rescue crews in danger that have to go in and rescue you.”
Several gain elevators have been decommissioned over the years in Minneapolis , which was once a hub of flour milling activity. Those abandoned elevators have evolved into favorite spots for teens and young adults seeking adventure and a captivating vantage point to record photos and videos for social media platforms.
In September, a 19-year-old adventure seeker fell six stories through an old grain elevator in north Minneapolis and cracked her head on a concrete slab. Medics rushed Carly Barnes to the hospital, where surgeons removed part of her skull to accommodate brain swelling.
The site, the Upper Harbor Terminal , continues to be featured prominently on urban exploring blogs, Facebook groups and TikToks, where it’s been nicknamed “Alien City.” (The riverfront property is now being transformed into an outdoor music venue.)
Since May 2023 , there have been 24 calls to the Checkerboard grain elevator for police service including trespassing, property damage and other disturbances, according to city records. The vast majority of the calls came during the summer months.
Monday’s incident is the fourth time in the past three weeks that police have been notified of suspected trouble at the elevator. Two of the calls involved one or more suspicious people being on the property and another about someone with a weapon.
In addition to hoping that thrill-seekers will stop trespassing at these properties, Parten said, “it’s up to [all of] us to put up the barriers necessary” to ensure safety, whether it be the property owners or city officials.
The property’s owner, Checkerboard LLC , released a statement that read, “Our thoughts are with the young person injured and their family and hope everyone will join us in holding them in their prayers. The investigation into what happened and why is ongoing, and we’re committed to assisting it in any way possible.”
Ranallo-Korbel recently graduated from Forest Lake High School “and was looking forward to the next chapter of life,” the family disclosed in an online fundraising campaign to help cover medical and related expenses. “Ash is a talented artist, a dedicated worker, and someone whose contagious smile and sympathetic soul brighten every room.”
The family added that the teen’s fall “has changed everything, leading to a long and uncertain recovery.”
Susan Du and Jeff Hargarten of the Minneapolis Star Tribune contributed to this story.
©2026 The Minnesota Star Tribune. Visit startribune.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC