A 25 year old man fell 60 feet to his death after an elevator related accident at the Reliant Stadium in Houston. The victim, identified as Jonathan Kelly, was attending the Texans preseason finale when the accident occurred at about 8:10 pm when he fell three stories, slamming on the pavement below.
The Houston Police Department is looking at it as an accidental death since Kelly was seen horsing around on the elevator prior to the accident, although there is still an ongoing investigation to find out what really went wrong. Stadium officials are also conducting safety inspections on their escalators to make sure they are safe and well maintained.
Mark Miller, General Manager of SMG Reliant Park, said they could not provide any details on what the victim was doing on the escalator pending the outcome of the investigation but said his staff will review safety procedures and the escalators will be inspected to make sure they are working properly. Miller also expressed sympathy for the victim and his family, saying “our thoughts and prayers are with the family at this moment”. Jamey Rootes, president of the Houston Texans, also expressed his sympathy for the victim’s family saying his organization expresses “our deep sadness at this tragic accident”.