FOLKS: PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR UPDATES or CLICK HERE TO BE TAKEN THERE, I’M GONNA UPDATE EVERYTHING IN SEQUENCE AS I GET IT. PLEASE SHARE WITH EVERYONE, WE NEED A WORLDWIDE OUTPOURING FOR THIS.
Hang on, folks, we’ve got another one. News is coming in from all over the place about the PukkelPop Festival in Belgium – weather got bad, a roof collapsed, three people killed, and at last check another 70 plus injured. This is a popular festival, and people are dead because of a truss roof collapse. I don’t have much information on this (nobody does, only what has been coming in from the web), so I will post what I have and I’ll update when I get it. The band onstage was the Chicago band The Smith Westerns. They’re apparently all doing ok.
Videos – there are lots coming in:
So far, it’s looking like another wicked storm hitting a structure, but other than that, news is not quite all filtered out yet. Three more dead as of now.
Images:
Stay tuned.
UPDATES
UPDATE THURSDAY 8:24PM CST:
We are seeing news of the aftermath on Belgian TV and from new AP reports. From the latest news at Herald Sun:
UPDATE 10am: AT least three people are dead and dozens have been injured after a violent storm struck an outdoor rock festival in northern Belgium overnight, collapsing two stages and sending shocked fans running for cover.
One of the stages fell on concert-goers at the annual Pukkelpop festival in Hasselt, AFP reported, with the destructive weather uprooting trees and causing a tower with technical equipment to fall onto trucks.
Video footage from the site showed stage equipment dangling precariously and soaked revellers desperately fleeing the area.
One report suggested four people had been killed, while other news agencies put the death toll at three. The number of injured was reported at anywhere between 40 and 70 people.
More than 65,000 fans had reportedly flocked to the site for the popular music festival, where Jared Leto, actor-turned-frontman of 30 Seconds to Mars, was due to headline the program with his band last night, along with the Foo Fighters.
UPDATE THURSDAY 7:17PM CST:
News from Belgium from JimOnLight.com reader Patrick Van Houtte:
Latest official news here in Belgium:
4 dead, 35 severely injured, 100+ injured.
If you can believe it or not; they are planning on continueing with the festival the coming 3 days! The organisation will continue with the festival in a slimmed down version, meaning just 2 or 3 stages will be having artist performing instead of the 8 stages.
UPDATE THURSDAY 7:06PM CST:
UPDATE THURSDAY 6:50PM CST:
Reports of just crazy destruction at the Pukkelpop site, and a lot of confusion.
Also, check out this site about the Pukkelpop Disaster – so many just ridiculous images there. and ALSO again, check out this site for another full-page spread of Pukkelpop 2011 images. Unbelievably destructive.
Belgian network VTM is reporting a fourth person killed in the disaster.
UPDATE THURSDAY 6:13PM CST:
I just got word from Joy at the sister festival of PukkelPop – please see below:
“I know something more on the accident: 3 dead, 71 injured, of which 11 are severely injured. People are left in total confusion, they are not clearly briefed with information, official announcements on the accident have not been made after 3 hours. One person was killed with the collapse of a truss, another one was killed on the camping and another person has not been told of. Telephone network is out in the whole area. There’s no place all visitors can go to, they are taken care of by local people that provide shelter, food, drinks, dry clothes and showers. There was bad weather with hail and rain and strong winds that blew two to three tents and PA towers an d other tower structures collapsed. Trees fell down on site. further reports are still to be made. Just terrible what happened.”
I also just got this video in from @TMettes on Twitter of the roof coming down – clear footage, pretty unbelievable, like each one seems to be after the next.
More as and when I get it.
Hello Jim,
I know something more on the accident: 3 dead, 71 injured, of which 11 are severely injured. People are left in total confusion, they are not clearly briefed with information, official announcements on the accident have not been made after 3 hours. One person was killed with the collapse of a truss, another one was killed on the camping and another person has not been told of. Telephone network is out in the whole area. There’s no place all visitors can go to, they are taken care of by local people that provide shelter, food, drinks, dry clothes and showers. There was bad weather with hail and rain and strong winds that blew two to three tents and PA towers and other tower structures collapsed. Trees fell down on site. further reports are still to be made. Just terrible what happened.
Joy
Hello Jim,
Latest official news here in Belgium:
4 dead, 35 severely injured, 100+ injured.
If you can believe it or not; they are planning on continueing with the festival the coming 3 days! The organisation will continue with the festival in a slimmed down version, meaning just 2 or 3 stages will be having artist performing instead of the 8 stages.
http://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/belgien278.html
It´s in german but they say the Festival is cancelt
hi jim..
I’m from Belgium.. And the news = The festival is cancelled..
there are now 5 people killed and 3 in Critic Conditions..
there are also a few 100 With injuries…
I have no words for this… Oh yes, its not BRUSSEL, it’s in HASSELT
greeetz from Belgium
http://davieswx.blogspot.com/2011/08/81311-indiana-stage-collapse-example-of.html
Sorry but same as in Indiana, there were warnings for severe weather. And look at your first film, if nothing else a unlatched vidiwall of that size will tear apart much stronger structures.
In my POV lack of craftsmanship and no balls.
The experienced guys had to make calls, we had to stop this.
my 2 cents
cheers
McLauth
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