San Francisco Chase Center Deemed Up To Code After Falls During Phish Concert
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) – The San Francisco Department of Building Inspection deemed Chase Center is up to code, after one person died and two people were injured from falls during a Phish concert at the arena Sunday night.
"Two of our inspectors conducted a site inspection today and found the area under investigation to be fully code compliant and we consider the issue closed," a spokesperson from the department told KPIX 5 on Thursday.
A complaint filed the day after the concert cited guardrails that were "unsafe" and a "steep" incline in the upper levels of the arena. According to department policy, every complaint automatically triggers a visit from code enforcers.
Around 8:55 p.m. Sunday, an attendee fell to his death from the upper level onto the seats of Section 116. The attendee has been identified as 47-year-old Ryan Prosser of Athens, New York.
Police announced Tuesday that Prosser was believed to have "leapt from an elevated area of the arena," causing his death.
"Immediately before the victim leapt, he did not appear to have any physical contact with any person or barrier/railing," SFPD Officer Grace Gatpandan said in a statement.
About an hour later, another man fell from Section 213 of the arena and landed on 44-year-old Evan Reeves of Oakland. Reeves suffered a broken leg.
"Life and death is seriously a game of inches," Reeves told KPIX 5 on Tuesday.
"If I had been sitting two inches to the side, he could've landed right on my head and it could've been game over," he went on to say. "Or if I had been sitting two inches the other way, I wouldn't have been there to help break his fall. It could've been worse for him."
The person who fell onto Reeves survived but was also seriously injured.
At a concert in Oregon on Tuesday night, guitarist Trey Anastasio said the tragic events at the Chase Center left the band "heartbroken."
"I'm sending out my love — and we all are; I'm speaking for the band — we're sending out love to everyone in the whole community," Anastasio said during a set at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene. "I don't know how much I can express how we feel a part of this group of people that is here tonight and the people who can't be here who are watching on TV."
He continued briefly before the band went back to the music: "We very much know and feel that we're just four more people in this group who happen to be up here and you guys are standing there. But when something like this happens, it hurts us and we want to send our love. Please be safe and everyone have a good time."