After San Jose State scored its first touchdown in Saturday’s game against Fresno State, glass could be heard shattering in the upper levels of section 11 after a member of the Fresno State coaching staff broke a window, showering shards onto fans below and injuring a mother and her young daughter.
A Fresno State coach, whose name has not yet been released, has been put on administrative leave after breaking the window that injured the fans. The coach was not one of the Bulldogs’ 11 on-field coaches.
Staff and reporters in the next room over could hear the bang on the window and then the shatter of glass. Reporters ran over to capture the scene but were quickly told to return to their seats by Fresno State Athletics staff.
Just minutes later, voices could be heard screaming up from where the glass fellfrom people in distress. Emergency personnel quickly responded to the scene to give medical attention to those injured.
The glass in the coach’s box window is not tempered glass or safety glass, which would have broken into smaller pieces to make injuries less likely. Instead, the glass from the press box fell in large and small shards with jagged and sharp edges.
Fresno State Athletics Director Terry Tumey released a statement in regards to the incident.
“Unfortunately, some fans were injured during last night’s football game as a result of glass that fell after a member of the coaching staff broke the window in the coach’s box above a seating section. We want to emphasize that the safety of our fans is a high priority and the Athletic Department deeply regrets that this incident occurred,” Tumey said.
He said that the university is still trying to figure out what transpired, but the individual will be placed on administrative leave.
“We have to have some disciplinary action until we can figure out what transpired. But our biggest concern right now, quite honestly, is our fans and the young women [who were injured], the child and her mother,” Tumey said.
The Athletics Department declined to identify the staffer, but said the individual will not have any contact with the football program while they are out.
Tumey said the woman and the young girl who were injured have received treatment at Valley Children’s Hospital.
At the post game press conference, Bulldog Head Coach Jeff Tedford was unaware of the incident.
“That’s very unfortunate. That breaks my heart to hear that. I’m sure I’ll find out about it, but it’s very unfortunate that happened,” he said.