Wal-Mart adopts plans to calm Black Friday crowds

DALLAS - The world's largest retailer announced Wednesday it will keep its stores open 24 hours and implement new crowd-control measures Thanksgiving weekend after a temporary employee was trampled to death in a Black Friday rush last year.

Wal-Mart says day-after Thanksgiving sales will begin at 5 a.m. Nov. 27, but most U.S. stores will be open 24 hours to prevent a mad dash.

Most of Wal-Mart's supercenters will not be affected because they are already open 24-hours.

Federal safety regulators cited Wal-Mart for inadequate crowd management after the death last year of a temporary employee at a Long Island, New York store.

Shoppers rushed the door, broke it down and trampled and employee who died of asphyxiation.