June 17, 201214 yr Show cancelled at Downsview Park as 3 others injured, 1 seriously CBC News Posted: Jun 16, 2012 4:37 PM ET Last Updated: Jun 16, 2012 8:30 PM ET A stage at Toronto's Downsview Park has collapsed in advance of this evening's scheduled Radiohead concert, crushing a man in his 30s to death and injuring three others. Calls came in to emergency crews at about 4 p.m. ET, and at least one ambulance was already on site. Police say a 30-something man was declared dead at the scene, and a 45-year-old man was transported to Sunnybrook Hospital with a serious but non-life threatening head injury. Two others had minor injuries and were released without treatment. The man's name is not being released until police notify his family. The 7:30 p.m. concert is cancelled, and Radiohead's official Twitter feed advised fans not to make their way to the venue. Gates had been scheduled to open at 5 p.m. Alexandra Mihan was setting up in a beer tent parallel to the stage when she heard a sound like fireworks. "Then everyone started screaming and gasping," she told CBC News. "We turned around, and the entire top of the stage has just collapsed. All of the metalwork and all of the screens had just kind of folded over on top of each other." Hot dog vendor Jeff Cole said between 10 and 15 crew members were on the large stage, which included screens and extensive lighting. "It was like watching in slow motion," he said. "The top just came straight down on the right side. The metal was all mangled. I'm staring at it right now, and it's not a pretty sight." Firefighters went into the structure to extricate the man who died. It wasn't clear whether the man was still alive when they found him. The area was quickly cleared of witnesses by emergency crews. Concert-goers at Toronto's Downsview subway station head home from Saturday's scheduled Radiohead show, which was cancelled due to a fatal accident. Concert-goers at Toronto's Downsview subway station head home from Saturday's scheduled Radiohead show, which was cancelled due to a fatal accident. (CBC) "It's very, very fortunate that the gates weren't open, because it would have been pandemonium," Cole said. Police say the park wasn't full but there was a considerable crowd of people already waiting for the show. The park is a frequent site of concerts, and 40,000 people were expected for tonight's sold-out show by the hugely popular English band. The opener was to be Canadian act Caribou. The weather in Toronto at the time of the accident was calm, with temperatures in the high 20s and the forecast calling for light winds. Mihan said the weather was "beautiful." "It couldn't have been the weather that attributed to the collapse." Toronto police Const. Tony Vella said the force will work closely with the Ontario Ministry of Labour to determine the cause of the disaster. He urged anyone who witnessed the collapse to come forward. Vella said he didn't know yet who the temporary stage belonged to. Source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/story/2012/06/16/toronto-stage-collapse-radiohead.html?cmp=rss
June 17, 201214 yr That's really sad. Unfortunately, it's not the first time that a stage collapse. There were few case in Quebec province too.
June 17, 201214 yr Author They're now saying he was British and in his thirties. And that it happened during a soundcheck. I hope the band's crew are ok and safe.
June 17, 201214 yr Author Radiohead drum tech identified as victim in deadly Toronto stage collapse TORONTO — Inspectors with Ontario’s ministry of labour are spending today combing through the wreckage of a stage that collapsed on Saturday during setup for a Radiohead concert in Toronto. They’re trying to find out what caused the stage to come crashing down on a handful of workers, killing one and injuring three others. A Radiohead spokesperson identified drum technician Scott Johnson as the man killed in the collapse. Johnson died after being trapped under falling debris. Const. Tony Vella says another man who suffered non life-threatening injuries is doing “much better” in hospital. More here: http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/06/17/labour-ministry-inspectors-probe-deadly-stage-collapse-at-toronto-radiohead-concert/ So sorry to hear this. :(
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