Worker killed at new Minnesota Vikings stadium site

MINNEAPOLIS -- The contractor overseeing construction of the new Minnesota Vikings stadium says it's not yet known how a worker fell to his death on the project.

The worker was dead on arrival at a Minneapolis hospital after falling 50 feet while doing roofing work on the stadium's north side Wednesday morning.

John Wood, an executive with Mortenson Construction, says he didn't know if the man was wearing a harness or other safety equipment.

Wood said it's also not yet clear how a second man was seriously hurt. But Wood said the second man didn't fall, as was previously reported.

CBS Minnesota reports that one victim was taken to the hospital shortly after the incident, while Minneapolis Fire Department crews needed to extract the other victim from a crevice by using a rescue basket. At 8:30 a.m., that victim was then stabilized on the roof and brought down shortly after. He was then taken to the hospital.

"One worker fell from the roof, from the edge of the roof, into what we know as the snow gutter, which is below the main roof on the north side of the building," Wood said. "We understand that he fell approximately 50 feet, but that, too, needs to be verified."

Both men were doing roofing work.

CBS Minnesota reports that the Minnesota Vikings released a statement about the incident late Wednesday morning.

"Today is an extremely sad day for the Minnesota Vikings organization and the entire stadium team. Our sincere thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of the individual who passed away, the worker who remains hospitalized, and the more than 1,000 dedicated construction workers who are on the site every day and are also affected by this accident," the statement reads.

The $1 billion-plus stadium is due to be finished in fall 2016.