Man dies after injury at site of NASCAR Chicago Street Race, police say
A man has died after suffering an injury at the site of the NASCAR Chicago Street Race, where setup was underway Friday, police said.
The 53-year-old man was injured just before 11:30 a.m. in the 500 block of South Columbus Drive, which is near Buckingham Fountain, police said. He was taken to Northwestern Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Details on the injury and whether or not it was connected to the event's setup weren't immediately released. Police said a death investigation was underway.
"On Friday afternoon, a contractor suffered a fatal medical emergency," NASCAR said in a statement. "We are coordinating with local authorities on this tragic incident. We share our condolences to the family and their loved ones.”
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter here.
The Cook County Medical Examiner's office confirmed the death but could not release an identity, pending next of kin notification.
The incident comes one day before racing is set to begin at the historic event. Buckingham Fountain is slated to be the location of a "fan plaza" for the event.
Check back for more on this developing story.
Source: NBC Chicago
