NYC woman fell 17 stories to her death after balcony railing collapsed

A New York woman fell to her death early Thursday when the railing on her upscale Manhattan apartment balcony gave way.

Jennifer Rosoff, 35, was reportedly on a first date when she went outside on the 17th floor balcony to smoke a cigarette.

Sources told local media that Rosoff sat on the ledge to smoke despite pleas from her date that it didn't look safe.

"There was a man who was hysterical and crying by the elevators," a neighbor who lives on the 14th Floor told the New York Post.

"He told me that he and Jennifer were on their first date. They has just gotten back and she was showing him her apartment."

"Then he said they stepped out onto the balcony and had a drink. She was leaning on the balcony then the railing gave way and just snapped. It's really sad."

Rosoff was dead found on top of construction scaffolding at the base of the building, at 400 East 57th Street, reports the New York Times.

Neighbors described hearing the accident, which occurred at about 12:30am on Thursday.

"I heard the thud last night. It was as loud as a car crash. It sounded like a 200 lb punch," Sara Shubert, an eight-year resident of the luxury building, told the Post.

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All residents of the building were notified on Thursday not to go out on their balconies. The Buildings Department referred to the balconies as "imminently perilous to life."

According to the New York Times, Rosoff was an "A player" in the competitive world of media ad sales.

She previously worked at Lucky magazine and The New Yorker and now worked for Triplelift, a new media advertising start-up.

"She was a well-loved and highly-respected member of our team. Her tremendous energy and humor brought so much joy to the office," Triplelift CEO Eric Berry said in a statement.