Woman dead after large steel cylinder rolled away from Petersen Events Center construction site

A woman died after she was hit by a large cylindrical steel drum that rolled away from the construction site by the Petersen Events Center on May 3.

The woman was walking with her colleagues when the cylinder rolled down the construction site, broke through construction fencing and struck her on the sidewalk, according to a statement from Pittsburgh Public Safety Public Information Officer Emily Bourne. Medics pronounced her dead at the scene at 10:45 a.m.

“The City of Pittsburgh and Occupational Safety and Health Administration will lead the investigation with the full support of the University,” said University spokesperson Jared Stonesifer in a statement. “We offer our sincere condolences to the family and friends of the victim.”

Stonesifer said “no other injuries have been reported” due to this incident and added that LifeSolutions and the University Counseling Center are available to support University community members.