A member of public attending Coachella suffered head injuries after a prop globe fell from the temporary structure, overhead.
During the Gucci Gang performance held at the Sahara Tent, one of the hanging set pieces fell into the crowd. The globe decoration itself was made of thin plastic but the metal bracket attaching it to the ceiling of the temporary structure caused harm.
Several witnesses, along with the group in the same area where woman was struck, described the incident as surreal and terrifying. The woman, named Caroline, was happily dancing with a group of friends before the incident. It was also reported from her friend Kristen Messih that this was Caroline’s first music festival she’d been to.
At the moment, Caroline is still in the hospital recovering from her injuries. The metal bracket caused a skull fracture, brain bleed, and a concussion. Thankfully, the falling bracket did not cause any immediate fatal injuries, as the height of the drop could have resulted in far worse circumstances.
This entire incident could have been prevented with more detailed inspections during the build as well as appropriate rigging hardware. Coachella already faced an unfortunate death from an employee who fell from a rooftop during construction. A statement from Coachella has not been released as of now but we wish Caroline a speedy recovery.
When rigging props, scenery and equipment for an event or production it is essential that correct, maintained and inspected hanging / rigging hardware is used, which is fixed by competent persons. The type of hanging should take into account a number of key factors including (but not limited to) weight, fixing, degree of fixing, what it is being rigged to (particularly if an outdoor temporary demountable structure is used, where weather or noise vibration could cause effect).
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