Eight people have been confirmed dead and several others injured in a stampede at a music festival in Houston, Texas.
It happened at the third-annual Astroworld Festival, a sold-out concert event featuring multiple acts.
TRAVIS SCOTT AND DRAKE PERFORMING AT ASTROFEST 🌵🦉pic.twitter.com/dlR5EwvGJU
— TRAVIS SCOTT FANS 🔥 (@LaflameScott) November 6, 2021
The incident began around 9:15 p.m. on Friday when the crowd of approximately 50,000 concert-goers began to move toward the front of the stage, according to Houston Fire Chief Samuel Peña.
“The crowd began to compress toward the front of the stage, and people began to panic,” Peña said.
Authorities said the incident happened as concert-goers ‘began to compress’ to the front of the stage while rapper, Travis Scott was performing, at around 9:15 pm local time.
As we were arriving to the Astroworld Festival at NRG Park right at 2:00, a stampede burst through the gates. Hundreds of people destroyed the VIP security entrance, bypassing the checkpoint. People were trampled. Some were detained.
(Excuse any language you may hear) pic.twitter.com/d0m2rjqAAk
— Mycah Hatfield (@MycahABC13) November 5, 2021
Fire Chief, Sam Peña said the rush caused some panic, and this started causing some injuries, saying;
People began to fall out, become unconscious and it created additional panic.
He described what unfolded as a ‘mass casualty’ incident, saying 17 patients were transported to local hospitals, 11 of whom were in cardiac arrest.
In addition, more than 300 people were treated at the field hospital set up near the festival. Those injured included children ‘as young as 10’, authorities said.
The show was called off shortly after several people began suffering injuries, with tomorrow night’s performance also cancelled.
Distressing footage on social media showed paramedics performing CPR on several people on the floor within the crowd as a performance continues on the stage.
The tragic scenes unfolded on the opening night of the third annual Astroworld music festival which was being held at NRG Park.
Video showed hundreds of people rushing through a VIP entrance to the event, knocking over metal detectors and ignoring security personnel before the gates were secured by officers on horseback.
No cause of death was given for the eight confirmed fatalities, pending the medical examiner’s investigation.
Police are working to identify the victims, wile people whose loved ones are missing were asked to go to local Wyndham Hotel.
‘Nobody could dream of this… I think it’s important that no one speculates. We have none of the answers tonight,’ said Houston Police Chief, Troy Finner.
Organized by Scott, the third annual festival was scheduled to run from Friday through Saturday, according to the event’s website.
However, officials said the planned second night would be canceled. The festival was slated to feature artists including SZA, Bad Bunny and 21 Savage.
In 2019, three people were trampled and hospitalized as thousands rushed to get into the festival in Scott’s hometown.
