Hong Kong party accident: Back-up mirror dancer in intensive care after painting fell

Hong Kong
CNN
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A backup dancer for boy group Cantopop Mirror is in intensive care after being hit by a giant video billboard that fell from the ceiling during a Hong Kong concert.

Five people were injured when the painting – which measures about four square meters – fell on stage during the show at the Hong Kong Coliseum near Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong police told CNN.

Police said none of the 12 squad members were hurt. Three people were taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital for treatment, including a seriously injured dancer and another musician who was described as being in a stable condition, the hospital said.

A video of the screen crashing into the dancers went viral on social media, and local charities set up hotlines for any of the 10,000 people who attended the concert who were shocked by what they saw.

The remaining eight shows in the group’s Hong Kong concert series have since been canceled and Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee has called for an investigation.

“I contacted the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and instructed the Recreational and Cultural Services Department, along with relevant departments, to conduct a thorough investigation of the accident and review the safety requirements for similar performance activities in order to protect the safety of the performers, crew and members of the public,” Lee told me. .

Kevin Young, Hong Kong’s culture minister, said Friday that the board fell because one of the cables carrying it was loose.

“From initial observation, the wire broke and caused the screen to fall and injure the dancers,” Young told reporters on Friday. Hong Kong Labor Minister Chris Sun said on Friday he would not rule out legal action against those responsible.

in statement On Facebook, the party’s organizer, Makerville, apologized for causing “discomfort to viewers or others affected” and said people who attended Thursday’s party would be eligible for a refund.

The incident occurred even after fans at three previous shows warned that the stage and location seemed unstable, leading to a petition asking concert organizers to ensure the safety of the performers.

The hugely popular band formed in 2018 and released their latest single “We Are” a week ago.