NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 08: Fans take videos and photos while Aespa performs on ABC's "Good Morning America" at SummerStage at Rumsey Playfield, Central Park on July 08, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images)
Fans at a Mirror concert in Hong Kong watched a scene straight out of Final Destination unfold in front of their eyes. On Thursday, the Cantopop band was performing the fourth of 12 scheduled concerts at the Hong Kong Coliseum. As two band members took the stage with about a dozen dancers, the venue experienced an equipment failure, according to The Washington Post. The suspension cords anchoring one of several massive LED screens snapped.
The screen dropped towards the stage–seemingly hitting one dancer on the head, knocking him to the ground and crushing his body under its weight. Another dancer suffered injuries after the same screen toppled over on him. Videos on social media showed the entire incident as the crowd screamed in assumed shock and terror. The other performers on stage quickly rushed to help the injured dancers.
None of the twelve members of the band Mirror were injured in the accident. Despite the scary footage, police say the two male dancers were conscious en route to the hospital. Medical professionals treated the wounded men at Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
According to WP, one of the men is in serious condition, while the other is stable, per local reports. Police also said officials transported three audience members to the hospital. One felt “unwell,” and two others were “in shock,” per WP. However, they did not require medical treatment.
The concert was halted after the accident, and audience members were asked to leave. Within hours of the accident, someone launched a petition addressing the safety issues at Mirror concerts. Just two days before the LED screen fell, a band member reportedly suffered a minor injury on stage. He appeared to lose his footing and fell off the edge of the stage while speaking on the mic.
The petition quickly garnered thousands of signatures. Its request is that concert organizers ensure the safety of the band members and additional performers. Additionally, the petition seeks to prevent organizers from using “unnecessary stage mechanisms or raised platforms,” per WP.
A press conference was held following the screen drop incident. According to Reuters, the city government ordered Mirror to postpone the remaining shows scheduled at the venue.
“I am shocked,” Hong Kong Chief Execuitve John Lee said. “I express sympathy to those who were injured and hope that they would recover soon.”
Want updates directly in your text inbox? Hit us up at 917-722-8057 or click here to join!
