Business News Live Business Top Stories

Woman dies after advertising tower collapses outside Linkin Park show

By | Published on Friday 9 November 2012

Linkin Park

One woman died and nineteen others were injured while queuing for a Linkin Park concert in Cape Town on Wednesday night after temporary scaffolding built to host advertising by Lucozade collapsed in strong winds.

Twelve of those injured required hospital treatment, while a city spokeswoman confirmed to media that one of those near the scaffolding when it collapsed, Florentina Heaven-Popa, had died from her injuries. The Linkin Park gig went ahead, despite the bad weather and resulting scaffolding collapse, with the band unaware of the injuries and fatality until after the show.

The band subsequently posted on their website: “Following our performance tonight at Cape Town Stadium, we were advised that several people were injured as a result of the collapse of an advertising tower erected by Lucozade in the parking area outside the venue. We wish to express our deep sadness and concern for those injured and our heartfelt condolences to the family of the fan who died as a result of her injuries. Though we have had no relationship with the sponsor or the entity responsible for erecting the structure, we take the safety of our fans very seriously and our thoughts are with all of those who were affected by this tragedy”.

Meanwhile a spokesperson for the concert’s promoters said: “We wish to reiterate how saddened we are about the regrettable accident that occurred outside the Cape Town Stadium. We are working closely with the City Of Cape Town and the Provincial Joint Operational And Intelligence Structures in an effort to investigate the accident”.

A spokesperson for Lucozade makers GlaxoSmithKline told reporters that the advertising tower had been put up by a contractor who “fully complied” with the “safety specifics” as required by the city and concert organisers, and that the scaffolding had been checked and signed off by concerned relevant parties. The spokesperson added that the company was “deeply saddened” by the accident and that the firm was “in close contact with the concert organisers and investigating authorities and will cooperate fully with them in their investigations”.

City authorities have said that they have already begun an investigation into the incident, while the husband of the woman killed by the tower collapse has confirmed that he is considering legal action.



READ MORE ABOUT: