Eight dead after wall collapses at Senegalese football stadium
Eight dead after wall collapses at Senegalese football stadium
- Posted by TheStadiumBusiness
- on 17th July 2017
Eight people have been killed and almost 90 injured after a wall collapsed at the Demba Diop stadium in Senegal on Saturday.
A stampede, which eventually caused the wall to fall, began after a fight kicked off between rival fans of Stade de Mbour and Union Sportive Oukam, to which the police responded by using tear gas.
Home fans reportedly threw stones and other objects at people, while many pictures show fans scrambling over a low wall engulfed in a cloud of gas.
The AFP news agency reported that sports minister Matar Ba said a young girl was among the dead.
He said “strong measures (would be implemented) so that such an event will never be repeated in Senegal,” speaking to the AFP by phone.
The country has suspended all sporting and cultural events for the remainder of July, while the president of the Senegalese league, Saer Seck, defended the security forces on duty during the incident.
ESPN reported that Seck said: “On the security side, we took all precautions initially in separating the two groups of supporters to neutralise them.
“We hired agents of the security forces in their numbers, and now there were fights and a collapse.”
“(It’s) a great sadness for all of Senegalese football,” Seck added.
“I present my condolences to the families of all of the victims that we were unable to revive. This is not my conception of football.”
Cheikh Maba Diop, whose friend died in the incident and who helped move people out of the stadium, told AFP: “All of a sudden when the wall fell… we knew exactly that some of our own had lost their lives because the wall fell directly on to people.”
BBC Africa’s James Copnall said that the stadium itself was in need of repairs and that a government enquiry will look into the causes.
http://www.thestadiumbusiness.com/2017/07/17/eight-dead-wall-collapses-senegalese-football-stadium/?utm_source=TheStadiumBusiness+News&utm_campaign=e39965625f-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2017_01_04&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_d71bad5679-e39965625f-24174101&mc_cid=e39965625f&mc_eid=c5c7a5da61
Game wardens to deter elephants from Sri Lanka ODI stadium
Posted by TheStadiumBusiness
on 6th July 2017
While stadium operators may often consider the dangers of fans entering the field of play, officials at Hambantota Stadium in Sri Lanka are taking steps to prevent elephants from straying onto the pitch during the country’s forthcoming ODI cricket series with Zimbabwe.
Game wardens will be on hand to deter the residents of the nearby elephant sanctuary from trespassing at the 35,000-capacity stadium.
The stadium was built in 2009, in an area of Sri Lanka badly affected by the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami, but has hosted only a handful of matches because of its remote location and high maintenance costs.
One official told the AFP news agency that a herd of about 25 elephants roam in the area and are a potential threat to fans.
“There had been a few instances when elephants broke through the fence and invaded the pitch at night,” an official, who asked not to be named, told AFP.
“A jungle patch starts about 100 metres from the stadium and we are deploying 10 wardens to make sure that fans don’t stray into that area and provoke the elephants.”
It is not the first time that wildlife has disrupted games at Hambantota, as swarms of wasps that have taken up residence there have also caused problems.
http://www.thestadiumbusiness.com/2017/07/06/game-wardens-deter-elephants-sri-lanka-odi-stadium/?utm_source=TheStadiumBusiness+News&utm_campaign=669a95708e-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2017_01_04&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_d71bad5679-669a95708e-24174101&mc_cid=669a95708e&mc_eid=c5c7a5da61
Eight dead in Malawi football stadium stampede
Posted by TheStadiumBusiness
on 7th July 2017
Police in Malawi have confirmed that eight people have died after a stampede at the Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe.
The crush, which also left dozens injured, took place before an exhibition friendly match between top Malawian sides Nyasa Big Bullets and Silver Strikers.
According to the BBC, gates to the stadium had been due to open at 6:30am local time to allow free entry of fans into the 40,000-capacity venue, but this process was delayed by approximately three hours.
However, thousands of supporters had already arrived at the stadium and some attempted to force their way. Police responded by firing tear gas at the crowds in an effort to deter people from pushing forward.
Although the exact number of those injured in the crush is still unclear, Inspector General of Police, Lexan Kachama, told the Reuters news agency that he expected the total number of causalities to increase.
Despite the incident, officials decided to go ahead with the match and the Nyasa Big Bullets went on to win 2-1 in front of a packed crowd at the stadium.
However, President Peter Mutharika, who had been due to attend the match, was not present.
Speaking in the aftermath of the tragedy, Mutharika offered his condolences to those affected and said that the Malawi government will do all it can to help the families of those who were killed or injured in the crush.
http://www.thestadiumbusiness.com/2017/07/07/eight-dead-malawi-football-stadium-stampede/?utm_source=TheStadiumBusiness+News&utm_campaign=669a95708e-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2017_01_04&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_d71bad5679-669a95708e-24174101&mc_cid=669a95708e&mc_eid=c5c7a5da61
US Bank Stadium security company faces employment probe
- Posted by TheStadiumBusiness
- on 9th June 2017
Monterrey Security, the company that provides various security services at the US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is to face a state-led investigation over its hiring practices.
According to KSTP-TV, sources close to the matter have said the probe involves falsification of government documents, failure to conduct proper background checks and hiring people with a criminal record without full clearance.
KSTP-TV added that the investigation involves hundreds of staff at the firm.
The Star Tribune newspaper reports that Monterrey is in the first year of three-year contract with the US Bank Stadium, which only opened in July last year. The venue is home to NFL American football franchise the Minnesota Vikings.
Ongoing investigation
The company came under fire during a Vikings game earlier this year when two protestors were able to drop down from scaffolding at the stadium to unfurl a banner with a slogan opposing a pipeline.
In a statement, SMG, operator of the US Bank Stadium, said: “We expect that Monterrey Security will cooperate fully with state officials for the ongoing investigation.
“Upon the completion of this investigation, SMG will take appropriate action. … The safety and security of all guests and employees of US Bank Stadium continues to be our top priority.”
The Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority is not due to meet again until June 22, but chairwoman Kathleen Blatz said she does not expect any action to be taken against Monterrey.
Blatz added: “I would assume they know what they’re doing; I can’t believe it’s just wholesale neglect of the rules.”
http://www.thestadiumbusiness.com/2017/06/09/us-bank-stadium-security-company-faces-employment-probe/?utm_source=TheStadiumBusiness+News&utm_campaign=b96a980e9f-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2017_01_04&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_d71bad5679-b96a980e9f-24174101&mc_cid=b96a980e9f&mc_eid=c5c7a5da61
Modern Distractions And Big Hitters Like Judge Make Extra Fan Protection A Must
Palladino: Modern Distractions And Big Hitters Like Judge Make Extra Fan Protection A Must
» More Ernie Palladino Columns
The Yankees are knocking balls over the outfield fences at an astounding and highly entertaining rate. But it’s the ones that don’t fly out in fair territory that should concern their loyal followers.
This has been such an entertaining season that it would be a downright shame if someone in one of those expensive field level seats along the foul lines wound up in the hospital because they took an Aaron Judge liner in the teeth. Yet, as has been seen around the league in recent years, the incidence of spectator injuries has risen.
Kids and adults have both been carted out of their seats in varying states of consciousness because of such mishaps. Numerous lawsuits have caused the powers of Major League Baseball to encourage their clubs to extend the protective netting found behind all backstops to the end of the dugouts, a suggestion recently taken a step further in New York by Brooklyn councilman Rafael Espinal, who called on the city to mandate netting from backstop to foul pole in both ballparks.
Still, what seems like such a simple, cheap, common-sense measure to keep fans’ heads intact has yet to be implemented. Neither the Yanks nor Mets have netting beyond the home plate area at this point. In fact, only eight of the 30 teams have extended their netting beyond home plate.
And a lot of that pushback has come from fans, themselves, who believe a few threads of black nylon in front of them will take away from the total stadium experience.
They have a right to their opinion, of course. Those seats in both Yankee Stadium and Citi Field cost a lot of money, and fans who dish out that kind of bread should get as full a view of the proceedings as possible. But, really, they don’t care as much about the action as the chance at corralling a foul ball. It’s the reason so many thousands of corporate giants over baseball’s history have risked getting cokes and mustard splashed over $700 suits as they have pursued those $5 baseballs.
But times have changed. Many of those businessmen now sit in luxury boxes where, in total safety, they can indulge in the latest societal distraction, the smartphone. The problem is, the folks who populate the field level seats have the iPhone and Galaxy, too.
They are not so safe. In fact, those seats at just about any major or minor league stadium have become danger zones. More than 1,700 injuries were reported from pro parks on all levels.
It’s not unusual to see a bunch of fans with their heads stuck in the smartphones as the action rages on the field. It makes sense. In an age where people are getting hit by cars because they’re texting their buddies in the middle of the street, it’s not far-fetched that people in the line of fire at the ballpark would do the same thing.
That means, though, that they’re not paying attention to the game. Thus, the possibilities of taking a hot, foul line drive off the noggin increase exponentially.
Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge breaks his bat as he hits a single in the seventh inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium on May 3, 2017. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
Now take it a step further. The Yanks have arguably the most exciting young player in the majors in Judge. It seems that every fly ball he hits goes 400 feet or more, and even his groundouts are bullets.
He’s not a dead pull hitter. But still, his utter strength represents a major danger to anyone sitting down the line. He need only get in front of a changeup and send a cannon shot into the stands to create a potential tragedy.
Thankfully, that hasn’t happened yet. But why chance it — anywhere. With players getting stronger, pitchers throwing harder, and fans’ attention spans shortened by hand-sized technology, the chances of coming away from a game with a concussion or busted cheek bone have increased.
Hitters like Judge present scary enough propositions for pitchers. But that’s the fun of baseball. It would be a shame if an errant liner off his bat dampens any of the excitement he’s generated.
It’s time for all of baseball to get with the times.
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2017/06/05/stadium-fan-protection-mlb-yankee-stadium-citi-field-netting/
Turin bomb scare sparks stampede, leaving 1,500 injured
AFP, June 4, 2017
Turin (Italy) (AFP) – More than 1,500 people were injured, three seriously, after a bomb scare triggered a stampede among Juventus fans watching the Champions League final in Turin, local authorities said Sunday.
In an update on Saturday’s dramatic events in a square packed with supporters watching the Cardiff match on a giant screen, the local prefecture said 1,527 had been treated for mainly minor injuries.
Three people were in a serious but not life-threatening condition, including a young boy. Local media described him as a seven-year-old and said he was in a coma with serious chest injuries after being trampled in the crush.
AFP reporters who witnessed the scenes said the panic seemed to have been triggered by fireworks, followed by one or more people shouting that a bomb had exploded — a notion that quickly filtered through the crowd.
The incident compounded a miserable night for fans of Turin-based Juventus, who lost the final 4-1 to Real Madrid.
It also underlined the impact recent acts of terror are having on a jittery public across Europe, and the dilemmas now faced by organisers of any mass gathering of people following the Bataclan, Paris and Manchester concert attacks.
“This is a city that lives with anxiety and panic is something that is very difficult to control,” said Turin Prefect Renato Saccone.
– Beer bottles –
The scare in Turin came just minutes before another deadly attack unfolded in London with assailants driving a van into pedestrians on London Bridge and then going on a stabbing spree before being shot dead by police.
“Even if there have been no Islamist attacks in Italy, the panic of last night shows they are achieving their objectives even here,” said Roberto Calderoli, a Senator for the Northern League.
Several thousand fans had turned up to watch the match in the Piazza San Carlo in downtown Turin.
As fear took hold, a rush towards exit points quickly accelerated and the square emptied so quickly it was left strewn with hundreds of shoes ripped off people’s feet as they ran.
The square was still dotted with shoes, clothes, bags and patches of blood on Sunday morning. The high number of cuts was blamed on beer in glass bottles having been freely available before and during the match from unlicensed vendors.
“We heard a noise, then there was a movement of people like a wave and everyone started falling over each other,” said Luca, one of the fans caught up in the drama.
“I have got blood on me from the people who fell on top of me, people were screaming, jumping over each other,” he told AFPTV. “It was really awful – we really thought it was Manchester again.”
– Heysel memories –
Some of the injuries occurred after a railing around the entrance to an underground car park beneath the square gave way under the weight of the crush, causing some of those injured to fall up to two metres (nearly seven feet) onto tarmac.
Local media cited older Juventus supporters present as saying the panic had evoked painful memories of the 1985 Heysel disaster, in which 39 mostly Italian fans died when they were crushed by a collapsing wall before the start of that year’s European Cup final, against Liverpool.
Another fan, Giulio, said he had been knocked to the ground. “Everyone just trampled over me. I got separated from all my friends. I don’t have the slightest idea what happened.”
Fellow supporter Filippo took refuge in a restaurant in a neighbouring square. “They gave us something to drink and we stayed there until it was calm outside and we went back to find the shoe my daughter had lost.”
“It was very stressful,” added Gaetan. “With everything that is going on nowadays, it’s only to be expected. We just panicked and tried to get out of there.”
http://worldsoccertalk.com/2017/06/04/turin-bomb-scare-sparks-stampede-leaving-1500-injured/
Is it even possible to enforce a lifetime stadium ban?
Last week, Baltimore Orioles outfielder Adam Jones blasted the concept of stadium bans, referring to such suspensions as a “slap on the wrist” following the team’s May 1 game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.
According to Jones, fans at the historic ballpark taunted him with racial epithets during the Orioles’ 5-2 win, with one throwing a bag of peanuts at Jones as he made his way to the dugout.
Red Sox president Sam Kennedy told MassLive.com that 34 fans were removed from the game, including 20 who were tossed for alcohol-related reasons. It’s unclear how many of those ejected engaged in the reported abuse of Jones — or how many fans are kicked out of an average game — but the Boston Globe reported that one fan was banned for life by the stadium.
Regardless, Jones argued that neither penalty is harsh enough to end the behavior.
“It’s pathetic,” Jones said, according to USA Today. “It’s called a coward. What they need to do is that instead of kicking them out of the stadium, they need to fine them 10 grand, 20 grand, 30 grand. Something that really hurts somebody. Make them pay in full. And if they don’t, take it out of their check.
“That’s how you hurt somebody,” the five-time All-Star continued. “You suspend them from the stadium, what does that mean?”
According to experts in the field, it doesn’t necessarily mean much — and while bans are usually effective, they aren’t a foolproof way to keep troublesome fans from returning, especially if they’re determined to get back in.
Different states, leagues and teams have varying policies, but typically speaking, a violator facing a stadium ban is forced to sign paperwork before leaving the building agreeing to their own prohibition. In addition, any future tickets purchased by that fan are voided, and should that person return while the ban is still in place, he or she would be subject to arrest for criminal trespass.
However, while the threat of incarceration is certainly a deterrent, enforcement can be challenging.
“(Looking out for) ejected fans is a priority,” said Dan Donovan, vice president of security and technology consulting for Guidepost Solutions. “But those guards’ biggest priority is that the screening process is being done correctly and that we don’t have prohibited items coming into the facility.”
To help catch banned spectators, ballparks, stadiums and arenas will often distribute images of banned fans to security staff. But while employees remain mindful of blacklisted fans attempting to attend a game undetected, those faces can be tough to spot among the thousands who flood the building’s gates.
“Security and guest services are there to make the event enjoyable,” sports security expert James DeMeo, founder of Unified Sports & Entertainment Security Consulting, said. “But they also obviously have that duty of care to make sure the fans are safe.
“On ingress, metal (detectors) and screening measures are really important in terms of staff having that situational awareness to look for potentially troubled or dangerous fans before they come into the venue,” DeMeo added. “But the key is for the staff to know the signs to look for with a disgruntled or agitated fan.”
At the University of Southern Mississippi, students and faculty at the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security work specifically toward the goal of improving security at sporting events. Launched in 2006 on a grant from the Department of Homeland Security, the Center researches the impact of spectator-related incidents nationwide and has provided training and certification to more than 5,000 security professionals and nearly 1,000 universities.
“We constantly look at people, processes and technologies to see if we can try to solve problems,” Lou Marciani, the Center’s director, told FOX Sports. “This incident in Boston will trigger new best practices, it will trigger new rules and regulations from the leagues, and it will drive technology to the lab here, so we can begin to, long-term, solve the problem.
“And that’s really what the center does,” Marciani added. “We’re on the back end of things to make things better down the road.”
Another approach that could take the pressure off hired personnel and help nab unwanted fans is the use of facial-recognition programs and other biometric software, but implementing that emerging technology is costly and is far from a cure-all.
“In order to do facial recognition, first of all I have to have a good, clear picture (of the subject),” Donovan said. “Then I load the picture into my system, I’ve got a database of known offenders, and certain cameras, when set up correctly, are fixed on a focus area, and you can run facial recognition off of that and flag those people.
“This isn’t Jack Bauer in ‘24’ though,” Donovan continued. “You’re not just pulling these faces off any old camera in the stadium. So it’s an investment for the stadium operator, the team, in order to add this capability for the number of doors, the possible entry points to their perimeter. And every building is different.”
With time, such systems will become more commonplace — ”I think it’s coming,” Donovan said, “and it’s going to come quickly” — but for now the onus still rests largely on the security and guest services representatives manning the building’s front line.
Fortunately for the teams and leagues that occupy these spaces, simply asking fans to leave and not come back is almost always enough to keep them away from good.
“Usually the trespass warning cures the situation,” said Ed Boyens, security manager for the City of Orlando venues division, which oversees operations at Amway Center and Camping World Stadium. “And it’s very rare that we do see somebody come back.”
http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/story/adam-jones-stadium-bans-fenway-park-cameras-security-050817
Manchester bombing latest: Teenager among suspects in custody as Isil urges more attacks at start of Ramadan
Danny Boyle 26 May 2017
Counter-terror police investigating the Manchester Arena bombing have carried out fresh raids today, as security services brace for more attacks during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan beginning tomorrow.
Islamic State has called on its followers to rise up in an “all-out war” on “infidels” in the West. Saturday marks the start of a 30-day period of fasting and reflection in the Islamic world, which has in recent years seen a large increase in terror attacks.
As detectives revealed the youngest man in custody over the Manchester attack is 18, early-hours searches were on Friday launched at a Manchester barbershop and a takeaway on Merseyside.
Officers who earlier raided terrorist Salman Abedi’s home discovered a working bomb factory with a huge stash of explosive chemicals and other components.
Possible detonator of Manchester bomb in a picture released as part of US leaks
It comes amid fears the attacker might have built a second device that is now in the hands of fellow jihadists.
Security sources now believe he assembled the bomb himself after learning his trade in Libya. But the amount of material in his home has led to fears that he could have built more than one device and and distributed them to other British-based extremists.
A security source told the Telegraph: “The worry is there was enough to build two or three bombs and we can’t rule that out.”
Police today revealed that the eight men in custody “on suspicion of offences contrary to the Terrorism Act” in connection with Monday’s atrocity, which killed 22 people – including seven children – are aged between 18 and 38.
Meanwhile, with the General Election campaign resuming, Jeremy Corbyn’s suggestion that Britain’s involvement in military action abroad is linked to the Manchester attack has been condemned as “twisted reasoning” by the Security Minister.
British police have resumed “working closely” with US authorities on the probe after a tense showdown between the allies over leaked intelligence.
After Theresa May warned the transatlantic row risked hampering the “special relationship” between the UK and America, US Secretary of State is making his first official trip to Britain today.
With Britain on critical alert, stay with us for the latest updates today amid the huge operation to dismantle a suspected “network” linked to Abedi.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/05/26/manchester-arena-bombing-salman-abedi-latest-updates/
Stadium deaths: Are Major League Baseball facilities safe enough?
Brent Schrotenboer , USA TODAY Sports 7:26 a.m. ET May 26, 2017
At about 10:57 p.m. on May 16, a 42-year-old man named Rick Garrity was exiting Wrigley Field in Chicago when he apparently tried to climb a 36-inch rail on a ramp leading from the upper deck, according to Chicago Cubs and police officials.
He then fell over the rail, plunged a significant depth and died the next day from the accident, becoming the latest death from falling at America’s big stadiums.
“That is a very tragic event that sadly has been seen far too often over the last several years,” said Bob Gorman, co-author of the book Death at the Ballpark.
It’s still quite rare: Out of hundreds of millions of fans in Major League Baseball parks since 1969, there have been 25 deaths from falling in stadiums, including some involving inebriated victims and suicide, Gorman said.
In this case, the Cubs asserted the rail and its height did not contribute to the man’s death at Wrigley. But what if the rail had been 42 inches or higher, as safety experts say they should be? Would that have deterred his actions and the accident?
MORE:
Major League Baseball in Dec. 2015 recommended its stadiums extend the netting that backs up the home plate area to the near end of the dugouts in an attempt to better project fans from foul balls or flying or broken bats, and a handful of teams have done so.
But the questions regarding rail height feed into a classic debate about safety regulations and the responsibility of individuals: Is it worth raising rails or adding other safety measures to sometimes save people from themselves, even if such incidents are rare?
A similar issue is playing out in court in Atlanta over the heights of rails in high seating areas:
Major League Baseball has “a responsibility to reasonably address the safety of their millions of loyal fans,” said a lawsuit filed on behalf of the family of Greg Murrey, who died after falling from the upper deck at Turner Field in Atlanta in 2015. “Raising the height of rails to 42 inches and/or installing netting can be done for a small fraction of the billions of dollars in revenues generated each year by media, corporate sponsorships, and ticket sales.”
In that incident, a toxicology report later concluded Murrey was legally intoxicated when he died. The Atlanta Braves and Major League Baseball said the victim assumed the risk and was responsible for his own injuries. They also noted that the rail heights there — at 30 inches tall — exceeded minimum code standards for seated areas.
“Murrey proximately caused his own injuries and subsequent death,” MLB’s legal response states.
‘We’re honestly beside ourselves’
At Wrigley Field, Cubs spokesman Julian Green said the rail in question had a height that was “grandfathered in” and “up to code” at the time it was built, though when that was is not clear. The current railing height standard is a minimum of 42 inches in places where there’s a fall of at least 30 inches, according to the International Building Code cited by the lawsuit against the Braves.
An exception for this standard at stadiums is in seated areas, such as the front rows of upper decks, where rails are allowed to be as low as 26 inches high to avoid obstructing views from those seats. That’s why the Braves and other parks can say they exceed the building code minimums for front-row seats if the rails in front of them are around 30 inches tall.
Yankees security guards reach for a fan who fell onto the net behind home plate in the third inning on May 26, 2000 at Yankee Stadium. (Photo: Bill Kostroun, Associated Press)
The incident at Wrigley was in the back of the stadium and not in a seated area — and it’s unknown whether a higher rail there would have deterred the incident. Details remain sketchy because of an apparent lack of witnesses. Garrity’s father, Richard, told USA TODAY Sports his son “wasn’t a climber” but still doesn’t know exactly what happened. Rick Garrity was married with two young children. There has been no official indication that alcohol was a factor.
“Hopefully someday we’re going to know what happened,” his father said. “We’re honestly beside ourselves here, and it’s still fresh.”
If the Cubs wanted to raise the barrier there to reduce risk, they could, though apparently nothing previously suggested they should have.
“Based on the statistical evidence, there’s no reason to increase railings given the incredibly small incidents of problems, and even this one (at Wrigley) doesn’t fit the pattern of the very few other problems,” said Steven Adelman, an attorney and expert on event safety.
The plaintiffs’ attorneys who are suing the Braves see it differently. They argue in court documents that raising the front-row rails to 42 inches would have prevented Murrey’s death.
They also cite actions taken by the Texas Rangers, who raised front-row railings at Globe Life Park in Arlington to at least 42 inches after another falling death in 2011. In that case, a fan named Shannon Stone fell over a 33-inch rail trying to catch a ball for his son. It cost the team $1.1 million to raise those rails, and the stadium has had no falling deaths since.
Police and fans look over the railing where fan Shannon Stone fell from the stands during the second inning of a game between the Texas Rangers and Oakland Athletics on July 7, 2011, in Arlington, Texas. Stone died from his injuries. (Photo: Jeffery Washington, AP)
Jake Pauls, a building safety consultant and ergonomist, advocates for 42-inch rail heights as a “bare minimum” for safety. That generally would reach the stomach of someone who is 5-foot-9, the average height of an American male.
“In recent years, I have advocated a somewhat higher minimum, based on increasing stature and the age of the science behind the 42-inch criterion, which was in the mid-1970s,” he said.
The suit against the Braves says the Braves and MLB “chose to rely on a 1920s-era building code” that allows rails to be as low as 26 inches if the spectators are seated. It notes that this was designed mainly for theaters and symphony halls to set railings where they wouldn’t impede patrons’ views.
‘You can bubble-wrap everyone’
Other sports have had similar rare fall issues involving front-row railings, including at a college football game at the Georgia Dome in 2012, when a fan died after falling over a 33-inch railing. Authorities then said alcohol was a factor. But just by virtue of MLB’s number of games — 81 regular-season home games per team — the league is prone to more accidents.
Despite some falls, the suit against the Braves said “no other baseball team indicated it would follow the Rangers’ lead and raise all railings in front of seating sections to 42 inches.”
They don’t have to, because 26 inches is the minimum requirement in those areas, according to the building code. The bigger issue is whether it’s worthwhile to make them higher.
It’s not uncommon for stadiums have front-row railings lower than 42 inches, although only a few baseball teams responded to a survey from USA TODAY Sports about rail heights, including three that only would say their stadium meets or exceeds code requirements. They declined to answer questions about whether they were lower than 42 inches. Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia has ramp rail heights of 48 inches. Rails in seating areas there are 32 inches and angled inward.
Brewers left fielder Khris Davis (18) watches medical personnel transport a fan after he fell from a seating area into the bullpen in the eighth inning during a June 2014 game against the Twins at Miller Park. (Photo: Benny Sieu, USA TODAY Sports)
In Atlanta, Turner Field had three falling deaths since it opened in 1997, one of which was ruled a suicide. The Braves now have a new stadium, SunTrust Park, which opened this year. But the team and builder of the stadium didn’t return messages this week asking about the rail heights at the new facility.
Current litigation might complicate their ability to talk about it.
As part of the lawsuit, Braves executive John Schuerholz was asked in a deposition last November if he “wouldn’t want to consider what happened at other major league parks in planning SunTrust Park.”
“Yeah, I don’t know. That’s not how I think,” Schuerholz replied, according to the transcript.
Schuerholz also noted then that Turner Field’s 30-inch rail heights exceeded the minimum code and that Murrey’s death was a rare incident. Attorneys for the Murrey family, Michael Caplan and Michael Neff, said they could not discuss the case publicly.
No trial date yet has been set.
“One can always increase safety measures,” said Adelman, the event safety expert based in Arizona. “You always can. It’s literally true. Ultimately, you can bubble-wrap everyone and make them sit in their living rooms not doing anything. That’s the safest thing of all.”
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2017/05/26/major-league-baseball-stadium-deaths-falls/102146750/
Man dies after falling at Wrigley Field
By The Associated Press CHICAGO — May 18, 2017
A man who struck his head after tumbling over a railing at Chicago’s Wrigley Field has died.
The Cook County medical examiner’s office says 42-year-old Richard E. Garrity of Wheaton was pronounced dead Wednesday at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center.
Authorities say Garrity fell over a railing after Tuesday night’s game between the Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds. Police say he suffered head trauma from the fall.
The medical examiner has scheduled an autopsy for Thursday to determine the cause of death.
http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory/man-dies-falling-wrigley-field-47480301