Elevator worker dies in new 49ers stadium

An elevator subcontractor working on the new stadium for the San Francisco 49ers was killed on the job.

Personnel for the new Levi's Stadium have been working on the stadium's construction to get it ready in time for the 2014 season.

The worker was in the bottom of the elevator shaft when another worker took the elevator down the shaft and accidentally crushed him.

Workers were sent home for the day at 11:45 a.m. after word of the incident spread. Counselors are being arranged for workers that were on the site.

"It’s a shame, because we’ve had 1,000 people a day working on that site for well over a year now," said Santa Clara city spokesman Dan Beerman.

"We’ve had very minimal accidents, and to have this is just devastating for everybody."

The death has halted progress on the stadium, and officials have not yet reported whether the timeline of its completion will be affected.

"We're more concerned about the family of the deceased worker and for our staff," said Jonathan Harvey, the stadium co-project director.

The stadium is slated to host Super Bowl L in 2016, the first Bay Area Super Bowl since 1985.