Radiohead stage collapse kills one in Canada concert

One person has been killed and three others injured in a stage collapse prior to Radiohead’s Downsview Park concert in Toronto, Canada, Canadian official’s have reported.

The incident occured at 16:00 (local time), one hour before doors were set to open for the gig, with the band announcing the cancellation of the show due to "unforseen circumstances" via Twitter. Officials have since reported that the man who was killed in the collapse, along with those injured, were all part of the stage production team.

Around 40,000 fans were expected at the concert, marking Radiohead’s first performance in Toronto since 2008.

Oana Damian, who was working in one of the beer tents close to the stage along with a group of co-workers, described hearing what sounded like "fireworks" and a crackling sound coming from the stage area.

The cause of the collapse still remains unclear, but police say that emergency crews are working with the Ministry of Labour to determine what caused the accident, while Toronto police have issued three forensic specialists to investigate the incident.

Fire crews arrived on the scene within minutes of the collapse but were unable to resuce a man in his 30s who was pronounced dead on the scene.

Yesterday’s (Saturday 16th) collapse follows a series of similar accidents to have hit Canada over the past five years, after a stage collapsed during a Cheap trick concert at Ottawa’s Bluefest last year injuring three, while one person was killed and 15 injured at the Big Valley Jamboree main stage in Camrose, Alta, in 2009.

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