The San Francisco 49ers season opener against the Green Bay Packers was marred by a fan’s death. Before the game began, a 32 year-old man from Hayward fell from a walkway to his death while on his way to Candlestick Park, the team’s stadium. According to an ABC 7News.com report, the man was crossing the Jamestown pedestrian walkway when he fell. The walkway goes around the outside of the stadium.
When he fell, medical personnel and police officers performed CPR on him before an ambulance arrived, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. It is unclear how far he fell. Also, several witnesses indicated that he appeared to be intoxicated and unable to maintain his balance.
The accident is under investigation.
Meanwhile, the death follows a number of similar accidents at stadiums this year. A fan recently fell from the fourth deck at Atlanta’s Turner field. It was apparently the third fan death at the complex this year. In Denver, a fan fell from an escalator and was seriously injured. Property owners and stadium personnel have a duty to use reasonable care in maintaining walkways and pedestrian paths so that fans are not put in danger when entering and exiting the stadium. Essentially, they have to be mindful of hazards and take reasonable steps to abate them before a fan is injured. If a fan is injured due to negligent care of walkways, he or she may be eligible for compensation.
The 49ers expressed sympathy for the family of the fallen fan, but the team reportedly has not taken additional steps to change the walkway.
49ers fan killed after falling from pedestrian walkway
