Piece of metal trim falls from Busch Stadium

ST. LOUIS -- Inspectors are checking Busch Stadium in St. Louis after a 100-pound piece of metal trim fell to the ground.

No one was hurt, but the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that an inspection was underway Tuesday to look at the rest of the 5-year-old ballpark's trim. Parts of the sidewalk around the stadium were blocked off for the inspection.

The 2-foot-by-4-foot black metal plate fell from the west side of the stadium Monday and was discovered by a landscaper. The trim fell about 80 feet from where it had been bolted beneath exposed brick.

"We don't know what caused it to fail," said Ron Watermon, the Cardinals' director of public relations and civic affairs. "We don't know if it's an isolated issue. Our hope is that it is."

The Cardinals are out of town this week, playing at Milwaukee and then Florida. The next home game is Aug. 9 against the Brewers.

Inspectors were checking to see whether other pieces of the covering used on all sides of the stadium need to be better secured, said Mike Bertani, director of operations for Busch Stadium.

The Post-Dispatch reported that other pieces of trim appeared to be loose or rusted around the eight bolts holding each piece into the brick.

Watermon said the Cardinals will make sure the ballpark is safe.

"Is it isolated? What do we need to do to have to make sure the other trim plates are secure? These are the questions we have to answer," Watermon said. "The bottom line is the safety of our fans and the public around the ballpark."

Watermon would not speculate on the cost of the repairs or whether the plates could have been loosened by vibrations during the U2 concert at the stadium July 17.