Accidents at concerts and festivals are not very common however when they happen they are often catastrophic because they include a large number of people that are often intoxicated. It is the responsibility of the event organizers to make sure the venue is safe and that contingency plans are in place in case of complications. Inadequate protection and planing can quickly lead to dramatic disasters during crowded concerts and festivals.
Here are some of the most terrifying concert accidents that happened in the past, the most deadly were due to fire accidents in venues where organizers neglected attendees safety:
- In 2004 in Buenos Aires Argentina 194 people died and hundreds were seriously injured at a concert by the band Callejeros, at República Cromañón nightclub. A pyrotechnic flare sett off by someone in the public ignited a fire that quickly spread in the club. The 3000 concerts goers rushed to the emergency doors. As most of the security exits had been illegally chained to prevent people from entering without paying, hundreds of victims died from inhaling toxic fumes.
- In 1977 165 people died during the night of the John Davidson concert at the Beverly Hills Supper Club in Cincinnati OH. The club had multiple rooms and several events running together at the same time. All rooms were connected with narrow passages. When a waiter discovered the fire he took the stage to ask patrons to leave but he wasn’t taken seriously. When the fire started to spread through the club it was too late and the crowd panicked to get out resulting in 165 deaths and hundreds of injuries.
- In 2003 pyrotechnics set off at a Great White concert in West Warwick, RI turned the Station Night Club into a fire inferno. 100 people died and hundreds of others were injured in the accident. Later on the club settled a personal injury lawsuit for $176 million that was distributed to the severely injured survivors of the fire and the many children who lost their parents in the accident.
- In 2009 66 people died and many others were severely injured at a New Years concert by the band Burn in Bangkok, Thailand. The event was taking place at the popular Santika night club. Probable corruption delayed the investigation and the club was never charged.
- In 2010 21 people died in a stampede at the Love Parade in Duisburg Germany. People were trying to enter the festival by a tunnel that was the only entrance to the festival. As the entrance was closed by the police the tunnel became overcrowded. The police were telling people who were trying to get in to turn around. A panic broke out and a stampede occurred during which 21 died and many others were injured.
If you or a loved one one was injured at a concert or a festival you may have a lawsuit against the venue or the organizer. You should contact an injury lawyer to discuss your case.