Seattle officials consider changes to Gas Works Park after fatal falls

Changes to Seattle’s Gas Works Park could be on the horizon following several deadly falls from climbing the structure.

Seattle officials met earlier this week to consider whether to remove all of the climbable features from the historic park, according to KIRO 7.

The Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board submitted a proposal to the city that outlined 10 instances of people falling from the structure since 2012, with three of the falls being fatal.

July fatality at Gas Works Park becomes catalyst for change

The last instance of a fall at Gas Works Park came in July, when a 15-year-old boy, Mattheis Johnson, fell from the structure and died during a pop-up concert held at the park. A Seattle Fire Department spokesperson said that Johnson fell from a platform roughly 50 feet in the air.

Johnson’s family planned to file a lawsuit requesting the city take action regarding the towers, declare them a nuisance, and issue a public apology, among other demands.

The Gas Works Park towers were described as being structurally unsound and never intended for public access, according to a Seattle Parks and Recreation report. Expert analysis from a structural engineer was also included in the report, outlining methods to reduce climbing access.

The Gas Works Park structure was initially built in the early 1900s as an industrial plant that turned coal into gas. The structure remains a staple in Seattle’s history and has since been incorporated into the park’s design as an homage to the city’s early industrial history.

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