Dodelijke val bij concert David Bowie

[Radar]

Onderstaand bericht stond vandaag in de krant en op internet.
(met dank aan http://www.wsvn.com/)


MIAMI -- A graduation underway at the James L. Knight center Friday night, just 24 hours after a concert came to a sudden stop -- because of a fatal fall.

44-year-old Walter Thomas, a 25-year stage veteran was working on some lights at the David Bowie concert, when he fell five stories to the ground.

The audience witnessed the deadly plunge, and Thomas' neighbors shocked to hear of his death.

The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees offered their condolences, releasing this statement quote, "Wally was a talented and experienced stagehand of 25 years and well-respected member of I.A.T.S.E. for 9 years. He will be missed by his fellow union members."

Officials are still investigating to figure out exactly what caused this fatal fall. The union insists Thomas -- like all other stage workers was wearing his harness. Investigators say it’s unclear whether the device was properly secured.

[AJB]

MIAMI -- Rock star David Bowie's Reality Tour was cut short by a jolt of real drama Thursday night after a worker fell off a wire ladder above the stage at the James L. Knight Center, plunging about 50 feet to his death.
The worker, identified by a fellow stagehand as Wally Thomas, of Pembroke Pines, fell on the right side of the stage around 8:30 p.m., Miami Fire-Rescue spokesman Ignatius Carroll said. Thomas was climbing the ladder but investigators were trying to figure out why he fell.






Thomas, 44, was working as a spotlight technician, Carroll said. Paramedics rushed the man to Jackson Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Armando Curonel, who also was working as a stagehand, said Thomas was not wearing a safety harness.

"The mood is very somber and very devastated," Curonel said of the crew. "He's an experienced stagehand, 20 years."

Curonel said Thomas was filling in for another worker and wasn't originally scheduled to work. When asked if such accidents are common, he said, "It's very rare, but it's also a dangerous job. You have to know what you're doing."

The accident occurred shortly after Stereophonics, Bowie's opening act, finished performing, and before Bowie took the stage. Around 9:10 p.m., a voice blared over the auditorium loudspeakers announcing the show was over.

"Due to an unfortunate and serious accident involving one of the local stage hands working the show, we are canceling the show," the voice said. The voice also asked people to leave in a calm, orderly fashion.

The auditorium was sold out, with about 4,600 in attendance.

Concertgoers quietly walked out of the venue, and no one could be heard complaining about the cancellation. Some fans stopped at a concession stand to buy David Bowie T-shirts.

Ray McLaughlin, 41, of Fort Lauderdale, said he saw the accident from his seat.

"They brought the stretcher and there were about six cops hanging out backstage, but it didn't look good," McLaughin said.

Officials with Clear Channel Entertainment, the show's promoter, issued a statement saying refund or postponement information would be available shortly.

David Bowie issued a statement saying he and his touring company were "deeply saddened by the news of this tragic accident, and send their sincerest condolences and thoughts to the stagehand's family and friends."

The concert was the 20th in a tour that started March 29 in Philadelphia and is scheduled to end June 5 in Holmdel, N.J. Bowie, 57, is promoting his 24th album, Reality.
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Copyright © 2004, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

[rinus bakker]

Wel een beetje wrang dat de eerste norm (van ESTA & ANSI) die in de entertainment in de VS werd gepubliceerd ging over veiligheid in ontwerp en gebruik van de staalladders.
Ik denk dat Rocky Paulsen hiermee weer een ongewild argument heeft dat men zijn inzet voor verbetering van de veiligheid bij klimmen en riggen wat serieuzer zou kunnen nemen. Maar ja een norm is geen wet.
Ik die stukjes staat niks over de aanwezige veiligheidsvoorzieningen of -maatregelen.
Dat geeft te denken.

[maarten]

--Officials are still investigating to figure out exactly what caused this fatal fall. The union insists Thomas -- like all other stage workers was wearing his harness. Investigators say it’s unclear whether the device was properly secured.--


ik lees hier toch echt iets over een tuigje hoor

:-)

MVG
Maarten

[rinus bakker]

citaat:Geplaatst door maarten

--Officials are still investigating to figure out exactly what caused this fatal fall. The union insists Thomas -- like all other stage workers was wearing his harness. Investigators say it’s unclear whether the device was properly secured.--

ik lees hier toch echt iets over een tuigje hoor

Hallo Maarten,
officials zijn altijd "still investigating", denk maar aan Enschede, daar wordt over 100jaar nog steeds naar "geïnvestigeerd".

maar heb ik beweerd dat Wally geen tuigje heeft gedragen?
het gaat erom wat je ermee doet als je omhoog klimt!
voor ca. 200 Euro zijn er allerlei vormen van vertikale vanglijnen te koop. ook in de VS.
en de volgende stap is die ook goed te installeren en daarna komt het erop aan ze ook in combinatie met een tuigje te gaan gebruiken!
ik vermoed heel sterk dat dit bericht niet zou zijn verschenen als aan al deze zaken was voldaan.

[maarten]

nede jij heb ik niks beweerd maar ik jouw vorige reactie zei je dat je niks over veilgiheids voorzieningen las daarom mijn reactie, het is niet mijn bedoeling
om de wiseguy uit te hangen

en inderdaad ben ik het met je eens dat het een twijfel geval is

[rinus bakker]

Inmiddels (op Roadie.net) gelezen dat
- in het bloed van Wally sporen van cocaine zijn aangetroffen.
- dat hij wel een harness droeg.
- dat hij die niet gezekerd had aan de wel aanwezige verticale valbeveiliging.
This is in America...
Wat denk je dat de verzekering tegen zijn vrouw en kinderen (?) zal zeggen?