Another Stage Collapse Kills 3: Crazy Coincidence or Cause for Concern?

by SodaHead Music Posted 2011/08/19 12:00:00

Related Topics: Pukkelpop, Collapse, Belgium, Killed, Concerts, Music, Live Music, Music Festival, 30 Seconds To Mars, Foo Fighters, SodaHead, Rain, Victim

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	Crazy coincidence	68 votes	44%
	Cause for concern	88 votes	56%

Not even a week has gone by since a tragic stage collapse took the lives of five people at a Sugarland concert, and now, Belgium is experiencing a remarkably similar occurrence.

The three-day Pukkelpop festival, which kicked off on Thursday, was immediately rocked by harsh weather, and The Associated Press reports that by 6:00 p.m., the strong winds and rain had managed to take out "several structures," injuring at least 70 people and killing three.

All shows for the rest of the night were canceled, but the festival was expected to continue.

Organizer Chokri Mahassine wrote on the festival's website, "The Pukkelpop organisation has decided to cancel all shows tonight out of respect for the victims. We want to make our hearts and our minds silent for the festival goers that we lost and the ones that were injured ... We will clean up the grounds tonight and ensure that everything is safe again so that we can start tomorrow at 11 am with a new start for Pukkelpop 2011."

Countless bands who are in attendance at Pukkelpop have offered words of comfort to the families and friends of the people who were killed or injured, including Fleet Foxes, 30 Seconds to Mars and The Foo Fighters.

There are said to be around 60,000 people at the festival.

In addition to the Sugarland collapse, there were also stage collapses in Oklahoma and Ottowa within this last month, though only the Sugarland incident caused any fatalities.

And now this.

On Monday, 83 percent of you said you still felt safe at concerts. Having any second thoughts?

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2226693 2011/08/20 16:52:42

Crazy coincidence

+4
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More polls by SodaHead Music

lm1b2 2011/08/22 13:28:30

Cause for concern

Poor construction,no Inspection,are the usual reasons for this type of tragedy

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Gloria 2011/08/22 12:47:03

Cause for concern

It's all about deregulation.

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Myrle Hulme 2011/08/22 10:11:01

Cause for concern

Bad workmanship

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SkittleE 2011/08/22 04:08:17

Crazy coincidence

+1
But damn, we could use some rain like that in Texas.

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Andy 2011/08/22 03:16:42

Crazy coincidence

While it is cause for concern.... it seems a sad coincidence. They are half way around the world from eachother... different situation. Check them out, and fix the problem.

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sally 2011/08/22 01:19:31

Crazy coincidence

Really?

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snyski 2011/08/21 23:54:48

Crazy coincidence

crazy man !

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snyski to snyski 2011/08/22 00:09:07

People really think that collapse was faulty workmanship? Didn't tighten bolts or something ? Put part A with D instead of C ?Design and wind speed isnt a bigger factor? Come on don't throw your brother under the bus. !

Carnies are people too

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skroehr 2011/08/21 22:19:15

Crazy coincidence

It's actually a coincidence AND a cause for concern. Coincidence in that I don't think there's any conspiracy. Cause for concern that they're not making better stages. Still. Even after all the problems going back to Selena in the 90's, and probably before that. Weird that the industry won't work on this at least a little bit.

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Michaela 2011/08/21 20:57:09

Crazy coincidence

That's pretty weird! and sad )= maybe they should set up stages more strongly and safely, also they should be well aware of the weather and prepared for this crap, espcially now.

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marcie 2011/08/21 20:36:46

Cause for concern

+1
People are using cheaper materials to build things these days to cut costs rather than take into consideration of how stable and safe the end result will be. We see this all the time. For example, the Fema trailers for Katrina victims, thrown together with the poorest materials where black mold and formaldehyde soaked particle board made thousands deathly sick, the explosion of the oil rig in the Gulf because of faulty undergrade materials and so much more.

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dandieselonian 2011/08/21 19:30:10

Cause for concern

storms seem to be stronger and more spontanious than before

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4dc 2011/08/21 17:14:42

Cause for concern

+1
the local authorities stated there were no inspections required for a temporary structure like this since it was erected on state owned property...that's cause for concern

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coach k 2011/08/21 10:28:02

Cause for concern

+2
this is what happends when you don't use union workers

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4dc to coach k 2011/08/21 17:13:03

+2
...the riggers employed by Mid America Sound Corp (who constructed the stage) were members of the stagehands union

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Flowers to 4dc 2011/08/22 02:14:54

+2
Facts don't really matter to people like that when they have an agenda

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toosweet to Flowers 2011/08/22 02:18:13 (edited)

+1
Agenda of continuing stupidity and ignorance.

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coach k to 4dc 2011/08/22 22:32:07

well i guess it can happen to even trained pros

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Scovi 2011/08/21 04:21:47

Crazy coincidence

+1
Things happen, and i'm sorry to have heard about the three people that died. But unfourtuantely we all have to go someday, one way or another-Hopefully mines is pleasant!

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Werewolfgirl1995 2011/08/21 03:13:57

Cause for concern

+1
Sad to hear the deaths in all but I'm really glad that Jared Leto wasn't on the stage when it colapsed

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Inge to Werewol... 2011/08/22 10:36:58

+1
He was scheduled to perform on the main stage, that one didn't collapse ;) Skin from Skunk Anansie almost got blown away tho =/

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Werewol... to Inge 2011/08/24 23:10:13

Ohhh.Never heard of them

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Brittanye90 2011/08/21 01:45:40

Cause for concern

Seems pretty suspicious to me. Not that anybody set it up to happen, there could be a lot of different areas of concern. Point is: Definitely cause for concern. Somethings not right, I know that much.

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Vieuphoria 2011/08/21 01:43:20

Crazy coincidence

+1
These things happen. It's a shame, but freak storms happen. Can't predict it. It's tragic but we all have to get on with our lives and get back to the festivals. I love going to festivals, and always try to go to at least one a year. Look at how many festivals happen in the world, over the past 30 years. What percentage of those festivals has had a disaster like this. Hardly any. Yes it's tragic, but no it's not a cause for concern in any way.

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Sydney Jones 2011/08/20 23:45:44

Cause for concern

+2
Crazy Carney folk don't know how to do anything but molest little children and drink moonshine.

They sure can't put up a stage.

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Anariashki 2011/08/20 18:06:41

Cause for concern

+2
Better start praying to Zephyrus.

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2226693 2011/08/20 16:52:42
snyski to 2226693 2011/08/22 00:17:47

+1
I hope the metal gods get revenge !

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Inge 2011/08/20 12:18:18 (edited)

Crazy coincidence

+4
I was there, 5 people are dead, 3 are still fighting for their lives. And believe me when I say it's a miracle not more people where killed. The storm we had was exeptional, houses lost their roofs, big oak trees got pulled out of the ground, roots and all. All constructions at Pukkelpop are very safe, among the best in Belgium. But if even the roof of a house can't take the wind it's no wonder a circus-like tent would collapse. Another tent gave away under the weight of the water combined with the strong winds and one tent got crushed by a tree.

Truth is, nobody is to blame for this disaster. Police officers, hospital staff and firefighters responded very well and within a minute people where already being taken to hospital. I was there as a volunteer and a lot of us immediately went out to the camping site to help people there.

And yes, we knew there was a storm coming up, but nobody could forsee it would be a storm like this, we barely ever have these in Belgium. Besides, it's one of the biggest festivals in Europe. You can't just cancel or reschedule it because of a storm coming up.

The rest of the festival was cancelled the next morning, they intentionally said the festival was going to continue because otherwise 60.000 people would start going home and it would only create ...

I was there, 5 people are dead, 3 are still fighting for their lives. And believe me when I say it's a miracle not more people where killed. The storm we had was exeptional, houses lost their roofs, big oak trees got pulled out of the ground, roots and all. All constructions at Pukkelpop are very safe, among the best in Belgium. But if even the roof of a house can't take the wind it's no wonder a circus-like tent would collapse. Another tent gave away under the weight of the water combined with the strong winds and one tent got crushed by a tree.

Truth is, nobody is to blame for this disaster. Police officers, hospital staff and firefighters responded very well and within a minute people where already being taken to hospital. I was there as a volunteer and a lot of us immediately went out to the camping site to help people there.

And yes, we knew there was a storm coming up, but nobody could forsee it would be a storm like this, we barely ever have these in Belgium. Besides, it's one of the biggest festivals in Europe. You can't just cancel or reschedule it because of a storm coming up.

The rest of the festival was cancelled the next morning, they intentionally said the festival was going to continue because otherwise 60.000 people would start going home and it would only create more chaos and ambulances would be less able to reach the festival.

It was a disaster, the blackest day in the history of Belgian festivals, but nobody is to blame, many people should be praised for their courage.
(more)

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janet 2011/08/20 11:11:12

Cause for concern

+1
With the way this country is going it's no wonder jobs are being filled by persons that do not have the right job skills to put up a stage so that it doesn't collapse.

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Inge to janet 2011/08/20 12:07:10

+4
For your information, Pukkelpop has some of the most secure stages of all Belgian festivals. The storm we had was exeptional. A few miles away roofs where blown off of houses, so it only makes sense a simple festival tent wouldn't be able to cope with the wind. Emergency personel did an amazing job attending to all the people that were injured, it's a miracle only 5 were killed.

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janet to Inge 2011/08/20 12:15:05

+3
Oh, my bad, I did not know that.
Thank you so very much for that insight.

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Sam to Inge 2011/08/21 04:32:49

Dude, she also seemed to think this was about her country, she's very confused.

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luke 2011/08/20 07:54:28 (edited)

Crazy coincidence

+1
Because the tragic events happened in two different spots in the world it's pure coincidence.

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Jessakash 2011/08/20 05:31:31

Cause for concern

+2
whenever something happens that takes someone's life is cause for concern

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Nudenz 2011/08/20 05:11:41

Cause for concern

+1
It shouldn't happen. Someone is sacrificing safety for profit.

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MOMMA THOMAS 2011/08/20 05:07:50

Cause for concern

+1
...LIKE I SAID LAST WEEK, CONSTRUCTION MUST BE SOUND ENOUGH FOR DANGEROUS WEATHER CONDITIONS.

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Sam to MOMMA T... 2011/08/21 04:33:33

Hahahaha

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MOMMA T... to Sam 2011/08/21 05:56:13

+1
LIKE......CEMENT.

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snyski to MOMMA T... 2011/08/22 00:19:07

LOL

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