Stage collapses hours before Radiohead show...

[Kyrie Eleison]

Pandelerium...



1 dead as Radiohead stage collapses ahead of Toronto concert

A stage at Toronto's Downsview Park has collapsed in advance of this evening's scheduled Radiohead concert, killing a man in his 30s and injuring three other men.

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 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."

[Bash Riprock]

what a 'let down'

[MP5]

OK, We might need to start drug testing roadies, well, maybe just during job hours.

[zzzz]

http://www.facebook.com/DownsviewParkOfficialPage

Downsview Park
June 12
Oh, you know, just watching the crew put together the stage for the upcoming Radiohead concert. No big deal.

Oops...

Downsview Park
3 hours ago
WOO HOO!!! Downsview Park is TRENDING on Twitter in CANADA!
Thank you so much for the support everyone! :)

[TJ]

http://www.facebook.com/DownsviewParkOfficialPage






Oops...

First off, Downsview, taking pics of stage hands and techs working is usually, though not always, bad form.

Secondly, re: drug testing, I would be more surprised if the cause of the accident was drug-related than if some of force majeur or sloppy construction.

[MP5]

why are pics of future catastrophes bad form? I mean aggy used to televise their builds. Im sure it could go a long way into finding out what happened.

[Mr.Dolemite]

Apparently a member of the band's crew was killed, just tragic.

What is horrible are the fans on twitter talking about their disappointment of the cancellation. Someone died you selfish $#@!s.

[I Got Worms]

Radiohead brought the house down.

[SPII]

Radiohead brought the house down.

yup. they killed

[Basil Your Face]

First off, Downsview, taking pics of stage hands and techs working is usually, though not always, bad form.

Secondly, re: drug testing, I would be more surprised if the cause of the accident was drug-related than if some of force majeur or sloppy construction.

Yeah, uh, the latter of those two is not exactly mutually exclusive from drug use.

[TJ]

Yeah, uh, the latter of those two is not exactly mutually exclusive from drug use.

Not suggesting that it is.

[zzzz]

The man who was killed:

A spokesperson for Radiohead identified the victim Sunday as Scott Johnson from South Yorkshire, England, a 33-year-old a drum technician for the band. He also worked for Keane, another British band.

...As the top portion of the stage fell, it trapped (Scott Johnson) beneath the debris. While a team of paramedics was already on the scene in preparation for the concert and tended quickly to the other hurt crew members, they couldn’t reach (him) until police and firefighters managed to extricate him.

...Ms. Pea$#@! said there were about 10 crew members on the stage when it collapsed. It seemed they were about to do a sound check - electronic twangs piping through the speakers were what made her look up just before the structure fell.

...The concert facility at Downsview Park was newly renovated. Radiohead and their opener, Caribou, were to be the first performers there.

Jim Brett, president of International Alliance Theatrical Stage Employees Local 58, said crew members working on the Downsview stage weren't members of his union.

"The only thing I can confirm is that IATSE Local 58 was not involved with the building of the stage or supplying any labour for the concert," he wrote in an e-mail. "Regardless of who was involved, the stage collapse is a tragic event and we offer our most sincere condolences to the family of the deceased and our thoughts are with those who were injured."

..."How does something like this happen?" Ms. Pea$#@! asked. "I've seen reports of stages collapsing before, but it's always been due to weather conditions and whatnot. There was no weather condition today. It was a beautiful, warm sunny day."

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...rticle4299025/

[JohnnyRage]

Gravity?

[TxArch]

First off, Downsview, taking pics of stage hands and techs working is usually, though not always, bad form.

Secondly, re: drug testing, I would be more surprised if the cause of the accident was drug-related than if some of force majeur or sloppy construction.

Why is it bad form?