The man who fell from the stands at PPG Paints Arena during the Pittbsurgh Penguins’ game on Monday against the St. Louis Blues and suffered life-threatening injuries was not using the staircases during the incident, officials said on Thursday. 

A joint statement from Oak View Group and the Pittsburgh Penguins said the fan was “not using the designated staircase at the time of the incident and the safety barrier remained intact.” Oak View Group manages the arena. 

“All safety barriers were constructed in accordance with building and safety codes and have been properly maintained,” the statement went on to say. “The facility is inspected annually and remains safe.”

A spokesperson for Pittsburgh Public Safety said on Thursday that witnesses told police the fan was stepping over seats when he lost his footing. 

The man, who has not been identified, fell from the 200 level and hit another person in the suite level below before falling to the 100 level, Pittsburgh Public Safety said. The man who fell was critically injured, officials said. An update on his condition was not available on Thursday. 

A photo on Monday from PPG Paints Arena showed approximately 10 seats in the 200 level roped off with yellow tape. A pane of glass in the front of the section is also missing. The fall happened around 7:15 p.m. during the first period of the game, and play did not stop at any point.

The Penguins and Oak View Group added in Thursday’s joint statement that their “collective thoughts continue to be with the individual injured during Monday night’s game and his family.”  

Tim Muckian, a Penguins fan, told KDKA on Thursday that the steepness of staircases in the upper levels of the arena makes him “nervous.”   

“It’s heartbreaking because it’s like you have that fear of it wouldn’t take that much to fall a couple of rows,” he said. “It’s not a very tall railing.”

The investigation into the fall continues. Police believe the fall was accidental. 

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