Three killed at Belgium’s Pukkelpop music festival as stage collapses in storm (VIDEO)

GlobalPost

Belgium's Pukkelpop rock festival ended in tragedy Thursday when a storm destroyed a stage killing three people and injuring 70.

Days after a similar incident at the Indiana State Fair killed five music lovers, The Telegraph said bad weather knocked down trees, two stages and some giant screens at the festival near the town of Hasselt.

The Chateau stage was completely destroyed during a set by Chicago band rock Smith Westerns, according to Reuters.

"The sky suddenly turned pitch black and we took shelter waiting for the rain. Then suddenly, there was a downpour. The wind blew violently," festival-goer Catherine Blaise told Le Soir newspaper.

"There were hailstones bigger than a centimeter falling… Trees toppled over. It was unbelievable, the end of the world."

New Zealand traveler Brinnie Gardner, 20, said: "It was frightening. It looked terrible. All the structures collapsed. There was panic. It was crazy."

A crisis Centre was established at a nearby gymnasium to treat those with light injuries and shock.

About 60,000 people were attending the three-day event.

In other concert mishaps this year, Cheap Trick were nearly crushed on July 27 when a stage at the Ottawa Bluesfest collapsed during in a storm, injuring several people.

Lighting equipment for Flaming Lips was destroyed in a storm in Tulsa on Aug. 7.
 

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