A wave of panic occurred Friday night at the Astroworld music festival in Texas during a concert by rapper Travis Scott.
At least eight people were killed during a crowd movement that took place Friday night in the United States, during the Astroworld music festival in Houston (Texas), attended this year by nearly 50,000 people. 17 people in serious condition were taken to hospital, including 11 victims of cardiac arrest.
“The crowd started to rush to the front of the stage. This created a start of panic which caused injuries, people started to fall, lose consciousness and this created further panic “Houston Fire Chief Samuel Pena said at a first press conference on the night of Friday to Saturday. “We have at least eight confirmed deaths this evening and several injured”, he said. There are more than 300 people injured in total, authorities said, counting minor scratches and bruises throughout the day.
Read alsoThe deadliest crowd movements in ten years
The crowd movement would have taken place shortly after 9 p.m., during a concert by American rapper Travis Scott, founder of the event, Texas authorities said. On Friday night, singer Drake, a Canadian rap star, joined Travis Scott on stage. According to the local daily The Houston Chronicle, the artist stopped his concert several times when he saw spectators in difficulty near the stage. According to testimonies collected by the newspaper, several spectators evoke scenes of disorder, with people so tight against each other that many could not breathe.
Rescue units engaged to ensure the safety of festival-goers were “Quickly overwhelmed” by the murderous stampede, the authorities also said. Some videos posted on social media showed rescuers resuscitating unconscious fans in the middle of the audience, as the concert continued. “In the space of a few minutes, we found ourselves with several people on the ground who were having a kind of cardiac arrest”police said, adding that the concert ended after the stampede.
Opening of an investigation
The origin of the accident has not yet been identified. Houston police have called on the population not to speculate as an investigation has been launched to determine the causes of the tragedy. Authorities said they would examine video footage from the evening as well as several rumors about the causes of the panic movement.
Read alsoUnited States: falling unemployment hides a massive movement of resignations
Footage from the concert circulated on social media showed dozens of people rushing to the front gates of the NRG Park where the event was taking place, stepping over and knocking down metal detectors, facing security guards below. -number, unable to contain the crowd. Many people could be seen falling, but it was not clarified whether this is the context in which the deaths occurred.
“Our thoughts are with the festival family tonight, especially those we have lost and their loved ones”, the organizers said on Astroworld’s Instagram page, “Above all, we seek to support local authorities”. Nearly 50,000 spectators took part in the 2021 edition of the Astroworld festival, organized over two days, from November 5 to 6. The ten concerts scheduled for Saturday have been canceled. American rappers Young Thug, SoFaygo and Baby Keem were expected this weekend, alongside the kings of the groove Earth Wind & Fire.
To see also – Huge crowd on the first day of the Lollapalooza festival in Chicago
– .
