Madonna’s Stage Collapse: 2 Dead, 10 Injured
EmailABC's Christophe Schpoliansky reports from Paris: The collapse yesterday in the southern French city of Marseille of a stage roof being built for a concert Madonna was scheduled to give on Sunday made a second victim. A British worker who reportedly fell more than 50 ft died of his injuries overnight at a Marseille hospital. Yesterday, a 53-year-old Frenchman died on the spot when the accident took place. The latest toll released by the Marseille hospital authorities this morning indicates that 10 other people were injured, including 3 seriously. An American is reportedly amongst the injured. According to French media reports, the roof of the stage, described as a “giant Meccano”, was being raised by four electric winches on metal columns at the corners of the stage when it collapsed. Early reports suggest that one of these columns, which were held up by cranes, collapsed, causing the roof to fall. About 50 workers were present within the vicinity of the stage at the time of the accident. A very emotional Madonna paid tribute to the victims of this tragedy last night. During her concert in Udine, Italy, part of her “Sticky and Sweet” world tour, Madonna dedicated one of her songs, “You must love me”, to the victims. “I feel so devastated to be in any way associated with anyone suffering” she said. The concert in Marseille was cancelled shortly after the accident. La Provence, a local Marseille newspaper, launched on its website a forum on which people can leave messages of solidarity and support to the families of the victims. “They died for having wanted to give happiness to Madonna fans on Sunday” one of the messages said. “A thought to the technicians, these men who work in the background in order for others to be in the light and who are paying a heavy toll. What should have been a celebration has become a tragedy” another one said.
RSS
Twitter
Facebook
It may be time to rethink constructing such massive onstage structures for shows such as Madonna’s and the Rolling Stones. This tragedy was bound to happen when such huge heavy set pieces are employed. May God bless all roadies and their families.
Posted by: Mary | July 17, 2009, 12:01 pm 12:01 pm
If she is truly “devastated” she should go ahead with the show and give the money to the families or the local hospital who is treating the victims as a direct result of this incident – the families will get an insurance settlement anyway but it’s more the symbolic gesture. Waxing lyrically on stage and a dedicated song… sorry that’s hardly devastation.
Posted by: Gabriella | July 17, 2009, 12:08 pm 12:08 pm
Excellent point, Gabriella
Posted by: Evenstar | July 17, 2009, 12:26 pm 12:26 pm
She was devastated and it was out of her hands. Planning like this takes weeks and months there is an investigation to be done and dead to bury. Pull you emotional heads out of you butts and think realistically. It is out of her hands get over yourselves.
Posted by: InTheKnow | July 17, 2009, 12:59 pm 12:59 pm
Nice song to dedicate to the fallen- “You Must Love Me”??? These workers did not die “wanting to give happieness to Madonna fans” they died doing their jobs. What an ego this old woman has!
Posted by: Miley | July 17, 2009, 1:38 pm 1:38 pm
Miley – READ the article. It doesn’t say Madonna said that, it says one of the message posters did. Geez, she can’t even read…
Posted by: Travis | July 17, 2009, 1:54 pm 1:54 pm
Umm… it probably was not her decision to cancel the show. Obviously the show had to be canceled after that. What were they going to do, continue building and put the show on anyway? Definitely not.
And how could you say she’s “hardly” devastated? She does have heart and soul and likely feels terrible about the accident. Seriously.
Posted by: k | July 17, 2009, 3:57 pm 3:57 pm
From what the article says, she was performing in Italy when the accident happened. So, I don’t think that this was part of her set. Roadshows typically don’t have multiple sets–that would be too expensive. Most likely this roof was part of the venue, which is an outdoor theatre judging from the photographs, and not part of Madonna’s actual set. It was most likely being installed to shelter her set and performance. As a result, she has no responsibility here for making sure that the facility is safe. That is the responsibility of the owners of the venue.
Posted by: andrea | July 17, 2009, 5:18 pm 5:18 pm
Andrea, this was most definitely part of Madonna’s stage. Pink Floyd had 3 stages on the road at one time. As it take several days to construct, artists with such large stage/roof systems typically play Stage A, Stage B, Stage C and then have a day off this allows 3 days for a stage to be moved to it’s next venue. I know as I’ve worked on several of these types of shows. Floyd/Stones/Metallica
Posted by: fly | July 17, 2009, 5:31 pm 5:31 pm
Fly, thank you for your comment. Andrea- Stadium tours normally tour with at least three sets that hopscotch across the tour. I am a stagehand. I am one of the people who builds these stages. The Stones, Bon Jovi,Springsteen, DMB, Madonna, etc. It takes at least 4 days to put these in. And that’s a compressed build when crews are run in 8-10hr shifts 24 hours a day. Production rolls in early on the day of the show. It takes 2-3 days to take it down. The other stages have already started to be built at the next venues. And for those of you who think it was wrong to cancel the show, have some compassion for those that died and those that survived. Madonna takes good care of her crews. This is what we do for a living. The life of a stagehand is not one of glamour.
Posted by: Sandi | July 17, 2009, 5:52 pm 5:52 pm
sad, to many accidents have happened with these stages being build and used.
time to really re think these huge
stages.
Posted by: windyblue | July 17, 2009, 8:39 pm 8:39 pm
I agree with Gabriella’s comment. I find the articles headline “madonna emotional about stage collapse tragedy” on yahoos home page to be absurd. So now, instead of this being about the men who DIED, it’s now about Madonna? My God, can we please get over this ridiculous celebrity worship?
Posted by: David | July 17, 2009, 10:25 pm 10:25 pm
I have read of tragedies happening during Pop and Rock concerts, as with the Rolling Stones at Altamont in 1969. Here the tragedy happened before the appearance of Madonna.
Posted by: Candadai Tirumalai | July 18, 2009, 9:24 am 9:24 am
The blasphemous show must go on!
Posted by: prophet | July 18, 2009, 11:31 am 11:31 am
The focus here should be on the stage crew who lost their lives, not Madonna. This is a very dangerous business we work in, with long hours, heavy equipment and generally, a short period of time to get it together. Before passing judgement, wait for the investigation, mourn the dead and be thankful for all the men and women working in this industry day in and day out to create the magic for the fans. There may be criminal liability, there may not. Let’s get the facts and find out how to prevent future catastrophes like this one.
Posted by: Susan Masser | July 18, 2009, 11:49 am 11:49 am
Nice song to dedicate to the fallen- “You Must Love Me”??? These workers did not die “wanting to give happieness to Madonna fans” they died doing their jobs. What an ego this old woman has!
You’re an idiot. She wasn’t seeing “You Must Love Me” as in her. It was dedicated to the fallen as in “You Must Love Them”. And someone named Mary said they wanted to give happiness to Madonna fans. Madonna didn’t say that. Where is her ego? The french concert was cancelled. She did not go on with the show. She made these dedications almost a week later in Italy. And how do you know that financial compensation isn’t in the works after the investigation is over. Can’t financial compensation be a private matter? Why do we need to know about it? Greedy dorks!
Posted by: Crybaby | July 23, 2009, 3:02 pm 3:02 pm
But the show must go on… because if they died trying to give happiness to Madonna fans and the show was canceled then the died in vain…
Posted by: Mike | July 27, 2009, 9:40 am 9:40 am
i am a stagehand and have work stones shows and many other large stadium shows there is always a chance of getting hurt or worse at any job happens when building these stages all safty mesures are taken but you never know what could go wrong. god bless all stagehands we do dangerous work that the general audiance never sees or apprecates
Posted by: josh | July 29, 2009, 12:28 am 12:28 am