Certain sections of Angel Stadium were shut down this week after Orange County Public Health Services identified signs of a rodent infestation.
According to OutKick, Section 432 of Angel Stadium, home to the Los Angeles Angels, was flagged for the presence of mouse droppings as well as a hole in the ceiling near concessions that likely allowed the rodents to pass from the rafters and behind the walls, into the main part of the concourse.
The report noted droppings near janitorial supplies, under storage racks, near “boxes of single use articles,” and next to utilities.
Concessions in Section 432 have been closed until the Angels can fix the issue.
In order to reopen section 432, health officials will require Angel Stadium operators to “eliminate all rodent activity using approved pest control methods. Clean and sanitize all equipment surfaces, food containers, shelves and floors, and properly eliminate/seal all cracks and crevices greater than ¼ inch to prevent vermin harborage.”
In statement following the closure, the Angles said the organization “take[s] great pride in delivering a high-quality fan experience at Angel Stadium, including maintaining the cleanliness of our nearly 160 concession locations” and “after receiving guidance from the health department, we acted promptly with our concession partner to resolve the issue at the single stand and expect it to pass inspection and reopen in time for the upcoming homestand.”
According to The New York Post, Angel Stadium has experienced rodent infestations before. From 2005 to 2007, Orange County Public Health Services noted 118 vermin violations. Those findings prompted the Angles to reportedly change cleanup policies and the infestation was temporarily solved.
Also at play in the fight against the rodent infestation is the age of Angel Stadium. It is the fourth-oldest ballpark in the MLB alongside Fenway Park, Wrigley Field and Dodger Stadium.
