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A DJ HAS been killed and three people injured after part of a stage collapsed during an electronic music festival in Brazil.
Revellers filming the party scene captured the moment the metal structure over the stage came down during a storm at the packed Atmosphere Festival in Esteio near the southern city of Porto Alegre.
DJ Kaleb Freitas, who was performing at the time, was rushed to hospital critically injured after suffering head injuries, but died soon after arrival.
An investigation has now been launched into the circumstances surrounding the tragedy at the rave-style show, which went ahead despite severe weather warnings about heavy wind, hail and torrential rain.
Friends of the dead man, a 30-year-old who lived in Porto Alegre and whose real name is Kalleby Freitas da Rosa, took to Facebook today to pay tribute to the musician.
Kaka Guimaraes wrote: “You were a person of great light and your smile charmed many people. I told you that less than three weeks ago and be assured we will always remember you with a huge smile on your face.
“You were a spectacular man. Your smile represented peace. No-one dies while they remain in peoples’ hearts.”
Andressa Schorner added: “Angel of my heart, friendship without limits. We are selfish by nature and do not want to lose anyone but your day to go up to Heaven has come.”
The incident that resulted in Kaleb’s death happened around 2pm yesterday local time.
The footage showed revellers were dressed for summer despite the gale blowing and the cloudy skies – and many appeared unaware tragedy had struck as they joked about the stage coming down over the sound of the music.
Around 5,000 people were at the event around the time of the accident.
Sergio Bandoca, one of the people in charge of the exhibition centre where the rave took place, said: “It was madness. The scale of the tragedy could have been far worse. Things were flying all over the place. There was panic.”
Officials said festival organisers Rave Atmosphere had the correct permits to stage the event and all their paperwork was in order.
A spokesman for the firm said they would assist investigators in getting to the bottom of what happened, adding: “We’re devastated, we lost a friend, an artist.
“Our priority is to assist the injured and their families.”
Local Civil Defence coordinator Alexandre Camboa said: “The forecast for Sunday afternoon was gale-force winds, and torrential rain.”
Luciano Machado Morais, commander of Esteio’s Fire Brigade, added: “The festival was staged in an open area and the speed and strength of the wind proved too much for the capacity of the metal structure over the stage.”
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