NASCAR contractor died of electrocution during Chicago race setup, medical examiner says
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A contractor was fatally electrocuted Friday morning along the route for the Chicago NASCAR Street Race this weekend, the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office now says.
Police said at 11:28 a.m., a 53-year-old man suffered an injury in the 500 block of South Columbus Drive, near Buckingham Fountain and the stands for the race, and was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital where he died.
The man was identified by the Cook County Medical Examiner's office as Duane Tabinski .
The medical examiner's officer further stated that the cause of his death was "contact with electric wires" and was ruled an accident.
NASCAR released the following statement: "On Friday afternoon, a contractor suffered a fatal medical emergency. We are coordinating with local authorities on this tragic incident. We share our condolences to the family and their loved ones."
According to the website for the company, Tabinski was the founder of DUANE, a design, staging, and lighting firm. The company has also staged events for some of the biggest names in music – including Bob Dylan, Toby Keith, and Katy Perry – and many large and small corporate events, according to the company website.