Pukkelpop 2011 canceled

[krainey]

The Pukkelpop Music Festival in Belgium was canceled for the year. The festival, which was scheduled to run for three days, was discontinued last Thursday after five people were killed when a storm caused the stage to collapse. Destination360 extends our deepest sympathies to the families and friends of the people killed, as well as the more than 1,000 people who were injured. We wish them the best. More information is available on the official Pukkelpop website.

[diegoo]

I was there and I can tell you that it was the weather itself wasnt the problem. What happened was a few minutes after it began raining a huge gust of wind caused plenty of destruction which led to a chaotic stampede and people being trampled over. I wasn't killed or injured luckily but many were injured badly. I wished the organisers of the event made sure the stages were built stronger to withstand storms...also, if they evacuated the audience they would've saved these lives.

Thank you for for sympathies Krainey & Destination360

Originally Posted by krainey

The Pukkelpop Music Festival in Belgium was canceled for the year. The festival, which was scheduled to run for three days, was discontinued last Thursday after five people were killed when a storm caused the stage to collapse. Destination360 extends our deepest sympathies to the families and friends of the people killed, as well as the more than 1,000 people who were injured. We wish them the best. More information is available on the official .

[krainey]

Wow, thanks for the explanation, diegoo. All the best to you, and I'm glad to hear you came out of it OK, but that's terrible about the stampede; most of the news I was able to find on it was pretty brief and just referenced the wind. A couple of friends of mine from Seattle happen to be in Belgium right now and are attending the tribute concert. Such a shame.

[56jiop]

it's a sad thing what happened at the concert specially when it could've been avoided. I learnt just the other day that the organizers knew of the storm but the reason the promoters did not cancel an event due to bad weather was because there was so much money involved.

I hope after this tragedy lessons will be learnt, though I fear in the future for often cancelling and not allowing such festivals to go on because of safety measures:(

[Eyewitness]

It is very sad when "fat cats" put money before the safety of people :(

[ixke]

even more sad : the organisation refuses to refund tickets for the lost concert days

they try whateven possible trick not to get any euro out of their accounts
there is already a serious case in court of people who wants their tickets paid back

as one said before here : money goes before everything ... SAD

[cheeba22]

IT's funny because Pukkelpop will be back this year and the organizers are planning to only reimburse all Pukkelpoppers who bought a ticket for the 2011 festival online. This will include food & drink tickets worth 75 or 150 euros for the next three editions.

[ixke]

mmm yeah
think that's a bit premature

the organisor is by all means trying to avoid a claim through the justice dept
some 350 victims regrouped themselves and made their intention clear they will go to court if their tickets are not being paid back ... the organisation (run by a belgian socialist politician btw ...) is trying to bluff himself out of his misery at this time, he knows very well if those people succeed in their case he is going to face a massive claim ... not sure how that is going to turn out ...