DETROIT -- A painter at the Detroit Lions' new stadium was killed Tuesday when a hydraulic lift he was on fell into the first tier of seats.

Other details were not immediately released, but police Lt. Janice Butler confirmed the death of the worker at Ford Field.

Consumer & Industry Services spokeswoman Maura Campbell said the man worked for Akron-based Thomarios Painting. She said the state inspected Thomarias at Ford Field earlier this summer and issued two citations.

Campbell said it's not yet known whether those citations -- which had to do with the way the company set up scaffolding -- were related to Tuesday's accident. The citations were mailed to the company on July 23.

The company did not immediately return a telephone message seeking comment.

In Gainesville, Fla., a construction worker helping renovate the University of Florida's football stadium, died of an apparent heart attack Monday. William Nathan Christmas slipped off a steel beam on the top of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium and dangled in the air from his safety harness, 6 feet below the beam from which he fell. He died later at a hospital.

In Detroit, Brian Dye, another painter at Ford Field, said the machinery tipped over and the basket the man was sitting in fell into the seats upside down.

Construction was shut down for the day and was to resume Wednesday, said Tom Lewand, chief operating officer for the Lions.

The 65,000-seat stadium is scheduled to open next month when the team plays host to the Pittsburgh Steelers in an exhibition game.

The Lions are returning downtown -- from the Pontiac Silverdome -- for the first time since 1974 at the new $315 million venue.

Ford Field includes a giant glass wall, revealing the Detroit skyline, and the old Hudson's warehouse, built in 1920.

The Super Bowl is scheduled for the stadium in 2006.

High winds caused a crane to collapse during construction of Miller Park, the home of the Milwaukee Brewers, in 1999, killing three ironworkers.

A 450-ton piece of roof dropped in that accident and caused $100 million in damage to the stadium. As a result, the park's opening was delayed by a season.