Starfield Brings the House Down!

Yikes - This is scary! It happened the day after Adam and a bunch of our youth leadership saw Starfield in Victoria. This is why we never allowed a mosh pit when I was at Harvest City Church. The floor just couldn't handle a hundred people jumping up and down at the same time. I think the engineers need to re-think thier load-bearing calculations for churches with this in mind!

Here is the article (for those of you who won't bother to go here).

Church stage collapses in Abbotsford, B.C.
JEREMY NUTTALL Globe and Mail Update
April 26, 2008 at 10:47 AM EDT ABBOTSFORD, B.C. —

There was carnage at a Christian rock show in British Columbia Friday night when the floor of the venue collapsed.

Twenty three people ended up in hospital with injuries ranging from minor to serious. The incident happened around 9:30 pm about 70 kilometres East of Vancouver in Abbotsford at the Central Heights Church. About 1,000 people were at the church to see the Christian rock band, Starfield.

"The portion of the floor that gave way is directly in front of the stage," said Constable Casey Vinet of the Abbotsford police. "

Const. Vinet said a section of the floor roughly seven meters by seven meters gave way at some point during the show. When the floor collapsed, it sent audience members — most of them teenagers — plummeting five meters to the church basement. Why the floor gave way has not been determined, but some witnesses have said equipment fell from the ceiling and crashed into the floor, causing the collapse.

"Everything that can be done will be done to determine the cause," said Const. Vinet. "Right now, we've called out our detective unit and our forensic identification services team. They will take over the scene and begin an investigation."

Const. Vinet said 32 people were treated at the scene. David Plug of Fraser Health said two people were sent to special units in Vancouver for care. He would comment on the nature of the injuries.

The emergency room of Abbotsford Regional Hospital was packed last night as victims of the fall waited to receive care. Mr. Plug said as many as 15 people were told to go to other hospitals, all within a half an hour drive. The waiting room was filled with people bearing somber eyes and frowns. Others seemed in disbelief as they waited for medical attention. Mr. Plug said staff were ready for the push of wounded concert-goers.

"It was a relief they handled it so well," said Mr. Plug. "And that there was not as many people injured as their might have been."

Mr. Plug also said, because of a local pastor and his knowledge of families in the area, it was much easier than usual to locate relatives of injured youths. He said that help keep operations at the hospital running smoothly. There has not been comment from the church on the incident.