Four die after NYE music festival in Malaysia
Four people have died after attending New Year’s Eve music festival Pinkfish Countdown 2024 in Selangor, Malaysia.
The victims – two men and two women aged between 20 and 40 – are suspected to have taken ecstasy, according to local police. Two other festivalgoers are also being treated in hospital, while another has been discharged.
Sudden death investigations have been opened with toxicology results still pending, according to Selangor police chief Hussein Omar Khan.
“From our preliminary investigation, it was found that all four [who died] attended the Pinkfish concert at Sunway Lagoon on the night of the incident and are believed to have taken ecstasy pills,” says Khan, as per Free Malaysia.
“Police have recorded statements from six witnesses, and several others will be called to assist in the investigation, including the concert organisers and the victims’ friends.”
The festival, which was curated by Hitman Solutions and Happy Moon, took place at Surf Beach, Sunway Lagoon, on 31 December. Top-billed acts included Sarah Landry, Showtek, Blasterjaxx, Cosmic Gate and Nifra.
“As the event organiser, we are fully committed to cooperating with the authorities to ensure a thorough investigation into the incident”
The team behind the event has expressed its condolences to the families and friends of the victims, and vowed to fully cooperate with the investigation, while noting the fatalities “occurred outside the event’s premises”.
“We are deeply saddened by the tragic incident following Pinkfish Countdown 2024 which resulted in the loss of four lives,” says a statement from Pinkfish Management. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of the four individuals during this difficult time.
“As the event organiser, we are fully committed to cooperating with the authorities to ensure a thorough investigation into the incident and took note of the Royal Malaysian Police’s (PDRM) confirmation that these deaths occurred outside the event’s premises.”
Promoters are also seeking to provide reassurance over their existing safety measures.
“The safety and well-being of our attendees, staff and surrounding community have always been our highest priority, and we are working closely with the relevant agencies to provide the necessary support to those impacted, included families of the deceased,” adds the statement.
“While we await the outcome of the full investigation into this incident, we wish to reassure the public that every precaution has been taken to ensure the safety of our events, including Pinkfish Countdown 2024. These measures include, among others, the presence of more than 100 police officers and the deployment of trained security personnel and K9 units at all entrance points.”
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Worker dies while dismantling Iron Maiden stage
Investigations are ongoing after a worker fell to his death while dismantling the stage following Iron Maiden’s concerts in Chile.
The rock band performed two nights at the Estadio Nacional (National Stadium) in Santiago on 27-28 November, promoted by DG Medios.
The 30-year-old stagehand, who worked for an external company, suffered a fatal head injury after falling 14m when a metal pillar gave way, according to the Metropolitan Homicide Brigade of the Investigative Police. The incident took place at around 1pm on Friday (29 November).
“Due to circumstances that are being investigated and which are currently in the hands of the relevant agencies, an accident occurred during the dismantling process of one of the stage towers, which resulted in the unfortunate death of one of the people who worked there,” says a statement from DG Medios.
“At this time, as a company, our main concern is to cooperate with the investigation and support the worker’s family”
“At this time, as a company, our main concern is to cooperate with the investigation and support the worker’s family.”
The Clinic reports that preliminary investigations showed the victim, a Chilean national, had complied with the correct safety measures, adding that the cause of the detachment of the metal structure was still being investigated.
Iron Maiden visited the country as part of the Latin American leg of their Future Past World Tour, which continues tonight (2 December) at the Movistar Arena in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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Singer dies after being electrocuted during gig
A Brazilian rock singer has been killed in freak circumstances after being electrocuted during a concert.
Ayres Sasaki, 35, was reportedly performing at a hotel in Salinópolis, Pará, last Saturday (13 July), when a fan jumped on stage and hugged him while drenched in water, causing him to suffer an electric shock through a nearby cable. It was not known why the fan was sodden when approaching the musician.
Sasaki died instantly, with Istoe reporting that the case is now being investigated by Salinópolis police.
Pará Civil Police confirms witnesses are being spoken to and have requested reports from experts to assist the investigation.
“We reaffirm our commitment to fully cooperating with the competent authorities for the proper clarification of the events”
His aunt, Rita Matos, tells local media: “What we know is that his show was scheduled for a specific time and was moved up, but we are contacting people who were with him at the moment to understand how everything happened. We will gather all the information in a statement that we will release to the press.”
According to the Mirror, Sasaki was dubbed the “king of encores”, having become renowned locally for playing shows for up to 12 hours straight.
A statement by The Solar Hotel, which hosted the gig, reads: “We are fully dedicated to providing support to his family and taking the necessary measures. We reaffirm our commitment to fully cooperating with the competent authorities for the proper clarification of the events.”
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Two killed after balcony collapse at concert
Two young people were killed after falling 40ft when a glass balcony collapsed at a concert in Mexico.
Fifteen people were also injured in the 7 June incident after a section of the third floor barrier shattered at the Rich club in Alttus Plaza, San Luis Potosi, ahead of a show by singer and YouTuber Kevin Moreno, aka Kevin AMF. Five are reported to be in critical condition.
Video footage captured the moment concertgoers tumbled onto the square below the venue.
Town hall representative Jorge Hernandez says the nightclub, which has been closed by the authorities pending further investigation, did not have the necessary permits to host the event.
“The constant and uncontrolled presence of people attending this event caused one of the railings on the third floor of this building to give way under the pressure and lead to this tragedy which claimed the lives of two people, according to the information we have so far,” adds Hernandez, as per the Express and Milenio. “There are around 15 injured, some of them seriously.
“The place known as Rich, where the event took place, did not have a permit or any authorisation to carry it out”
“The place known as Rich, where the event took place, did not have a permit or any authorisation to carry it out, since there is no request for any permit for an event of such nature to take place.”
The two individuals who died have been named as Manuel Alejandro Infante Puente, aged 21, and 17-year-old Rodrigo Espinosa Alonso.
A statement on behalf of Moreno and agency/record label Poker Music reads: “We want to express our most sincere condolences to family and friends for the unfortunate death of young people during the event that occurred in San Luis Potosi. It deeply hurts us to know that some of our beloved followers, who are an essential part of our community, were affected by this unfortunate and sensitive fact.
“There are no words that can console the void left by their absence, but we want them to know that we share their pain and we are here to support them. We will remember those we lost with love and gratitude for the time we shared together.”
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Two killed after car driven into concert crowd
A couple were killed and at least nine people injured when a car loaded with gas canisters was driven into a crowd leaving a New Year concert and collided with another vehicle.
The incident took place at 12.50am on Monday (1 January) following a show by US rock band Moe at the the 1,968-seater Kodak Center in Rochester, New York.
Rochester Police Department chief David Smith told reporters that two officers had been helping pedestrians cross the road in front of the building when the collision occurred.
“Just before the crosswalk, an eastbound Ford Expedition struck a Mitsubishi Outlander that was exiting a nearby parking lot,” he said. “The force of the collision caused the two vehicles to go through a group of pedestrians that were in the crosswalk and then into two other vehicles.
“There was a large fire associated with the crash that took the Rochester Fire Department almost one hour to extinguish.
“Once the fire was extinguished, first responders located at least a dozen gasoline canisters in and around the striking vehicle. Based on the danger level associated with these, the Rochester Police Department bomb squad and the Joint Arson Task Force responded to the scene.”
“So far we’ve uncovered no evidence of an ideology and no nexus to terrorism, either international or domestic”
According to New York Post sources, the crash was initially being investigated as possible domestic terrorism, but no terror link has been found.
“So far we’ve uncovered no evidence of an ideology and no nexus to terrorism, either international or domestic,” said FBI agent Jeremy Bell at a news conference.
The suspect, identified as 35-year-old Michael Avery of Syracuse, later died in hospital of his injuries.
“Although the motive behind the crime remains unknown, the conversations we’ve had with his family so far lead us to believe that Avery may have been suffering from possible undiagnosed mental health issues,” said Smith.
“At this time, we’ve not been able to identify [that] there was anyone else involved in the crime, or that it was part of a larger plot. Additionally, we have not uncovered any information, leading us to believe that the actions of Michael Avery on New Year’s Eve were motivated by any form of political or social biases.
“It must be noted this is an ongoing investigation and additional information may be developed.”
“On a night that was meant for celebration and togetherness, we are faced instead with a tragedy that defies understanding”
Moe have released a statement on social media in response to the tragedy, saying it had left them “in profound shock and sadness”.
“On a night that was meant for celebration and togetherness, we are faced instead with a tragedy that defies understanding,” said the band. “Our hearts go out to the family and friends of those who lost their lives, and our thoughts are with those who were injured.
“We are immensely thankful to the first responders and venue staff for their swift and courageous actions in securing everyone’s safety.”
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Rio police investigate T4F after Swift fan death
Police in Brazil are investigating promoter Time for Fun (T4F) following the death of a Taylor Swift fan who fell ill in sweltering conditions at one of the singer’s Rio shows.
Ana Clara Benevides, 23, lost consciousness during Swift’s performance at Estádio Nilton Santos last Friday (17 November), which took place in the midst of Brazil’s record-breaking heatwave. She was rushed to hospital, where she died after suffering a reported cardiac arrest.
A spokesperson for the Civil Police Department of Rio de Janeiro says it is probing a possible “crime of endangering the life and health” of concert-goers, although the inquiry is not connected to Benevides’ death.
“Event organisers will be called to testify, and other steps are underway to investigate the facts,” reads the police’s statement, as per the Daily Mail.
Fans were reportedly prohibited from bringing their own water bottles into the venue, despite temperatures in Rio reaching 39.1°C on the day of the show, leading to criticism of the promoter, which said the ban was “a requirement made by public bodies”.
“We apologise to the people who didn’t have the best experience possible”
T4F implemented a special action plan for Swift’s remaining two Rio stadium gigs on 19-20 November, which passed off without major incident, offering free water at access points in and around the stadium and enhancing its medical provisions.
In a video posted on social media, the company’s CEO Serafim Abreu offered an apology to attendees “who didn’t have the best experience possible”.
“We know the enormous responsibility we have when organising an event of this size, which is why we spare no effort and resources to always follow the best global practices in the sector, to guarantee comfort and safety for everyone,” said Abreu, as per Brazilian publication Estadao.
“Still, we faced days of extreme heat in Rio de Janeiro, with extremely high and unprecedented thermal sensations. Yes, we recognise that we could have taken some alternative actions, in addition to all the others we have done, such as creating shaded areas in external areas, changing the times of previously scheduled shows and placing more emphasis on allowing entry with disposable water cups.
“We also understand that the entire sector needs to rethink its actions in light of this reality. We apologise to the people who didn’t have the best experience possible.”
“We understand the deep pain of this irreparable loss, we respect the family’s privacy and once again reinforce our willingness to collaborate”
Referencing Benevides’ death, he continued: “Unfortunately, for the first time in more than 40 years of operation, we have had a fatality at an event organised by Time For Fun. We are very saddened by the loss of young Ana Clara, despite the prompt care and all the efforts made by the medical teams at the event and at the hospital.
“To Ana Clara’s family, I want to express our most sincere feelings. I now publicly state our willingness to provide assistance in any way necessary, as we have already said directly to family members and to the lawyer who represents them, by telephone and in writing, since the incident.
“We understand the deep pain of this irreparable loss, we respect the family’s privacy and once again reinforce our willingness to collaborate.”
Swift will wrap up Eras‘ Brazilian leg this weekend with three T4F-presented concerts in São Paulo’s Allianz Parque from 24-26 November.
“For the shows at Allianz Parque, we follow the new position of the authorities,” added Abreu. “Flexible water bottles are allowed to enter, in addition to the disposable water cups that have always been released.”
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Woman dies after fall at Robbie Williams concert
A woman has died in hospital following a fall at the end of a Robbie Williams concert in Sydney, Australia.
The Sydney Morning Herald reports that Robyn Hall, who was in her 70s, fell down six floors of stairs on the upper level of the Allianz Stadium on 16 November.
She was treated at the scene for injuries to her face and head before being taken to hospital in a critical condition, but passed away yesterday after being in an induced coma for several days.
A spokesperson for Venues NSW, which operates the stadium, says the incident took place at around 10.15pm, when the sold-out 40,000-cap show finished and people started to leave.
This is a terribly sad incident and our thoughts and wishes are with the patron and their family during this time”
“Rather than use stairs, the woman attempted to step over seating rows,” says the spokesperson. “She lost her footing and fell. This is a terribly sad incident and our thoughts and wishes are with the patron and their family during this time.”
It is the second tragedy involving a major concert over the past few days after 23-year-old Taylor Swift fan Ana Clara Benevides Machado fainted during Swift’s performance at Estádio Nilton Santos in Rio de Janeiro last Friday, in the midst of Brazil’s record-breaking heatwave. She was rushed to hospital, where she died after suffering a reported cardiac arrest.
Williams, who is currently the subject of a four-part Netflix documentary, was performing in Sydney as part of his Australian XXV Tour, promoted by Chugg Entertainment and Frontier Touring.
The tour, which is celebrating Williams’ 25th anniversary as a solo artist, is due to continue this week with two nights at Melbourne’s AAMI Park.
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Wrongful death lawsuit filed after concert crush
The family of a woman who died in a stampede at a concert venue in the United States have launched legal action over her death.
Three women lost their lives in the crowd crush, which took place at Main Street Armory in Rochester, New York, following a show by rapper GloRilla on 5 March when concertgoers began rushing towards the exits after apparently mistaking the sound of confetti poppers for gunshots. Around 3,900 fans were in attendance at the event.
According to Wham, Rochester Police said that about 200 people claiming to have VIP tickets had attempted to push past security about 20 minutes before the end of the gig, leading to a jam between those trying to leave and those who had just arrived.
Bruce Stephens, husband of 35-year-old victim Aisha Stephens, is now suing the venue, its former owner Scott Donaldson, the performers on stage – GloRilla, aka Gloria Woods, and Finnesse2tymes, real name Ricky Hampton – along with the private security provider working the show. All defendants are accused of being “reckless, negligent and careless”.
The lawsuit was filed this week in Onondaga County and seeks unspecified damages. CNY Central reports that the suit is the first to be launched in relation to the incident and alleges that adequate safety and security measures were not provided at the concert, which it claims was held with “reckless disregard for the safety of others”.
The City of Rochester concluded there was no basis for criminal charges over the incident
Rhondesia Belton, 33, and 35-year-old Brandy Miller also died in the incident, while seven people required hospital treatment for non-life threatening injuries.
Earlier this year, the City of Rochester concluded there was no basis to bring criminal charges over the tragedy after a “comprehensive, multi-departmental investigation”.
National civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump previously intimated that he planned to file a lawsuit against the venue on behalf of one of the victims and several injured concertgoers.
The venue was shut down and changed hands just weeks after the fatal surge. According to paperwork filed with the DA’s office, Donaldson sold the venue on 23 March to 900 E Main Street Rochester LLC for $550,000, reported Spectrum News.
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