Alberta Stage Collapses; 1 Dead, Dozens Hurt: Big Valley Jamboree

by cyn.khoo | August 1, 2009 at 07:15 pm

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The main stage at Big Valley Jamboree in Camrose, Alberta, collapsed Saturday, August 1, killing one person and injuring up to 80 more. At least fifteen people are in hospital, four of whom are "critically injured". More are feared to be trapped under debris of the collapsed stage.

Approximately 15,000 people were in attendance at the show, which is Canada's largest country music festival.

The stage was destroyed by a storm towards the end of a performance by country singer Billy Currington, who sustained minor injuries.

Jessie Farrell, also a country singer, witnessed and described the stage collapsing inwards as if it were "in an explosion".

"The stage is in a million pieces," she said.

She told CTV News Channel Saturday evening that there was about a minute warning of a storm coming, which she described as like "bombs going off."

"Lightning, hail, thunder . . . it looked like a tornado," she said. "Debris was flying everywhere."