At least 22 people were injured after a temporary grandstand collapsed during the sold-out Red Hot Summer Tour on Queensland’s Gold Coast on Sunday.
The incident occurred at Coolangatta Beach at approximately 2.50pm, while Australian rock band Boom Crash Opera were performing, bringing the concert to a sudden halt as emergency services rushed to assist those affected. According to Queensland Police, 22 people were treated for minor injuries, with four transported to hospital. The injuries reportedly included a fractured collarbone, an ankle injury and two back injuries.
In a statement to Rolling Stone AU/NZ, a Red Hot Summer Tour spokesperson said: “Following an incident involving a grandstand at the Red Hot Summer Tour event in Coolangatta on Sunday, 1 November, the grandstand was closed. A number of patrons received medical assistance on site, with some attending hospital for further assessment. Our focus remains on the wellbeing of those affected. We sincerely thank patrons for their cooperation, and Queensland Police and medical teams for their assistance.”
Witnesses reportedly described scenes of confusion as the temporary seating structure suddenly gave way, sending concertgoers falling as sections of the grandstand buckled.
Off-duty nurses Claire Borg and Alicia Glohe were among those who rushed to help injured attendees after hearing the structure collapse. “We heard this almighty crash, we looked back and all the seats collapsed,” Borg told the Courier Mail. “It was like this crash and I saw people bouncing.”
Glohe recalled seeing the grandstand buckle as the pair turned towards the commotion. “As we were listening to the stage you could hear a commotion behind us,” she said. “We didn’t realise what it actually was until you heard the crowd. I turned around and could see the grandstand look like a wave.”
The two nurses assisted several injured concertgoers, including a woman whose ankle had become trapped beneath the collapsed platform, before helping others with shin and wrist injuries reach medical staff. “It was really horrible,” Borg said. “It was just this crash and then it was quiet. There weren’t any screams. We just heard a clunk, clunk, clunk.”
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Boom Crash Opera reportedly stopped their performance immediately, calling for medical assistance as emergency crews attended the scene.
The festival resumed approximately an hour later, with performances from Vika & Linda, Eskimo Joe, Birds of Tokyo, Men at Work and Australian Crawl continuing as scheduled.
Organisers told attendees that the grandstand had been inspected and approved by an engineer the previous day, and pledged to investigate what caused the structure to fail.
“Yesterday that grandstand was signed off by an engineer and we will be having a meeting with that particular company to thoroughly investigate why that just happened,” an organiser told the crowd, according to 7NEWS.
Those seated in the affected grandstand have been promised full refunds.
Queensland Police and Workplace Health and Safety Queensland are investigating the incident, while the City of Gold Coast has confirmed it will conduct its own review.
The Coolangatta concert formed part of the Red Hot Summer Tour’s latest run of Australian dates, featuring a lineup of local favourites including Men at Work, Australian Crawl, Birds of Tokyo, Eskimo Joe, Boom Crash Opera and Vika & Linda. The tour is scheduled to continue on to Ballarat, Mornington, Swan Valley and Glenelg.
