A woman in her 70s died in a “freak accident” after high winds may have toppled a light pole in Philadelphia’s Roxborough neighborhood on Thursday, police sources told CBS News Philadelphia.
The incident happened around 11 a.m. on the track at Roxborough High School
Sources said the woman was walking on the track around the soccer field when she was struck by a 20-30 foot wooden light pole.
CBS News Philadelphia was told that police have reviewed security camera footage of the incident and believe high winds may have caused the pole to fall.
The woman has not yet been identified, but sources say she normally walks the track at Roxborough High School.
The circuit in Roxborough will also be closed to the public indefinitely.
Philadelphia School District officials said they are inspecting all wooden posts on school district property in the city.
A spokesperson for the School District of Philadelphia released a statement on the incident Thursday evening, saying, “Unfortunately, a tragic incident occurred this morning on the football field outside Roxborough High School that claimed the life of a member of the Roxborough community.”
“The Philadelphia Police Department (PPD), first responders and the District’s Office of School Safety were called and are assessing the situation,” the spokesperson said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the neighbor and their family at this time.”
“The School District of Philadelphia values the safety of our students, staff and community members, and we are committed to maintaining a safe and welcoming school community,” the spokesperson said in the news release. “We are committed to working with the appropriate agencies to inspect and assess wooden posts at district facilities and suspend all outdoor activities on the Roxborough field until further notice.”
