Worker Dies in Pausini Concert Stage Collapse - Corriere della Sera
Worker Dies in Pausini Concert Stage Collapse
Two others injured. The three men were erecting the structure for tonight’s concert
REGGIO CALABRIA – Rome-based Matteo Armelini, 32, died and two other workmen suffered minor injuries while they were erecting one of the stage structures for Monday evening’s Laura Pausini concert at the Palacalafiore sports centre in Reggio Calabria. The accident happened at about 2 am on Monday morning.
STRUCTURAL FAILURE – The metal structure over the stage slipped and collapsed, crashing forward onto a tier of seating. The men were securing the aerial lighting at the time and the structure fell squarely onto Mr Armelini, killing him instantly. His two workmates, who escaped with minor injuries, were taken to hospital. The news flashed round social network sites, where parallels were drawn with the death in Trieste of Francesco Pinna. Mr Pinna was killed by a collapsing structure while he was preparing the stage for a Jovanotti concert.
CONCERT – The stage for the Reggio Calabria concert was the middle one of three used by the Faenza-born singer. Even though it is classified as “medium”, it still takes fifteen articulated lorries to transport all the equipment. One side of the stage collapsed without warning, coming to rest on one of the tiers of seating. Experts will now have to decide whether the collapse was caused by the failure of the Palacalafiore’s parquet flooring to bear the weight, by poor structure design or by human error during the erection of the structure. This evening’s concert has been cancelled. The Reggio Calabria public prosecutor’s office has opened an inquiry and placed the entire structure under judicial seizure. Firefighters who provided assistance at the scene are seeking to establish the dynamics and causes of the incident. Forensic police scientists have also been called in.