Jump to content

2009 Birmingham Millennium Point stampede

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 86.25.54.40 (talk) at 14:25, 30 July 2010 (→Casualties: m). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

The front of Millennium Point.

The 2009 Birmingham Millennium Point stampede occurred on 14 November 2009 when hundreds of people broke through a temporary sheet metal barrier causing various injuries to fans during the Birmingham Christmas Lights Switch-On held outside Millennium Point in Birmingham, England[1] while JLS were performing.

Council preparation

Because a free pop music concert and fireworks show was planned, sections of Millennium Point were fenced off and either marshals and/or police stationed at a few points so as to prevent any minor crimes, like pickpocketing. Trouble breaking out may have been contributed by party goers becoming over excited, plus the unofficial presence of alcohol.[2][3] [4][5] [6] Councilor Steve Hollingworth from Birmingham City Council said the event had been properly organised and prepared.[7]

Birmingham City Councillor Martin Mullaney later stated it was a failure of the fencing at Millennium Point which was the main problem, since the wind broke the solid-steel fencing down during the night and it was then replaced, with the hessian fencing used on building sites and extra security personnel.[2][3] [4] [5][6] [8] [9]

Line up

Fifteen bands and soloists were scheduled to play at the event and included- Mini Viva, Girls Can't Catch, Calvin Harris, Taio Cruz, the Noisettes, Little Boots, Pixie Lott, Chipmunk, Eoghan Quigg, Natalie Imbruglia, Tinchy Stryder, JLS, the Sugababes, the Saturdays, and Alexandra Burke. [3] [4] [7] [8] [10][11][12][13] [14]

Attendance

According to reports, about 20,000 to 21,000 (officially) or 27,000 people (police estimates) turned up for the show at Millennium Point, which every one had been expecting to attract just 5,000 fans.[3][4] [8] [11] [12] [15][16][17][18], not the 15,000 and 20,000 Birmingham City Council had expected to turn up. The venue had a capacity of 5,000 people and it was reconised that things would be a bit of a squeaze in the park[19][20].

The JLS fandom

In December 2008 during a concert in Croydon, about 2,000 fans turned up; not the planned 1,500. Five people were slightly injured at the event and 30 people were briefly detained for medical checks relating to the crushing that had taken place earlier. A teenage girl had an asthma attack followed by a panic attack and mild heart tremor in the wake of it, and a man was taken back to his home in West Wickham Street after choking on a drink during the concert. The teenager told the Croydon Guardian she was helped from the crowd after suffering both an asthma and panic attack due to the chaotic situation. The woman had been queuing since 1:00 pm and had noted that when the school kids turned up it became really busy and then the kids started pushing their way in, squashing those at the front of the queues. She also recalled that a pregnant woman was in the crowd and neither of them could move or get out. The Metropolitan Police said about 2 dozen officers were called to the bash at Fairfield Halls, Croydon, at 4:00 pm (GMT) after being alerted to a crushing incident at a local free music event and that the 15 marshals had lost control of the situation.[2][13][14][14][16][17][18] [21] [21] [22] [22] [22] [23][23] [24]

A similar event, in Hull, shortly afterwards attracted 3,000 people, but no one was hurt that time. A fairly popular gig in Manchester had also passed over peacefully. About 6,000 people attended the recent JLS appearance in Manchester‘s, Trafford Centre, but authorities had planned for considerably more.[7][14] [18][25]

The event

The free event, organised by 96.4FM BRMB and Birmingham City Council, was to start at 2pm, followed by the Christmas lights switch-on at 7.30pm and finishing with a fireworks display.[3][4] [8] [9] [11][14] [15][16] [17] [18][24]

Crowds began to swell at about 1:30 pm in Jennens Lane as a crowd of about 20,000 to 21,000 began to push at the mostly portable barrirer fencing. At the end of the JLS performance, an additional approximately 7,000 largely ticket-less fans tried [26] to force themselves into the venue before the Sugababes could start their act, and the police were overwhelmed.[3][4] [8] [9] [11][14] [15][16] [17] [18] Both the remaining sheet metal safety fencing, plastic laminated hessian fencings and portal barrier fencing had collapsed and or ruptured open, allowing additional access to the site[27]. Some of the fans apparently became angry with the way the concert was being marshalled and began to throw umbrellas, drink bottles and cans at the police and marshals.[14][24]. Several children were taken to safety by fans, marshals and emergency staff alike, once the crush began [28].

The rest of the concert and lights switch-on were immediately cancelled as paramedics set up a special triage area to treat the injured. Birmingham City Council stated: "due to safety concerns an emergency meeting was held and a joint decision was made between Birmingham City Council, BRMB, Millennium Point and the Emergency Services to cancel the event following JLS’s fantastic performance."[3][4] [8] [9] [11][14] [15][16] [17] [18]

Casualties

Some 64 concert-goers were injured: four critically, two of whom had major crush injures. Two persons were crushed under a metal barrier as it collapsed in the stampede and another two were knocked to the ground by the initial surge according to West Midlands Police. West Midlands Ambulance Service confirmed there had been no fatalities at the crush. West Midlands Ambulance Service the 4 most seriously injured victims suffered from serious crush injeries to either their pelvis, shoulders, back and legs and or, broken ankles and or a fractured wrists[29]. Scotish pop star Calvin Harris had expressed his concerns over the lack of provision for the growing crowds.[3][15].

The aftermath

The Government's Culture Minister and the city council's Cabinet Member for Leisure, Sport & Culture, Martin Mullaney blamed the near tragedy on bad weather and a failure of the fencing for the incident, but local MP for Perry Barr, Khalid Mahmood blamed the city council's lack of preparations prior to the event. A government enquiry has been launched in to what had happened at the event.[30][31] Councillor Steve Hollingworth from Birmingham City Council said the event had been properly organised and prepared.[7]. Khalid Mahmood MP said the council should have made access to the event by ticket holders only and that ticket less fans should not have been shoe horned in to any spare spaces at the last moment[32]. He was also concerned that it may have ended up like the 1989 Hillsborough football stadium disaster, in which both 96 Liverpool United fans and 2 marshals were crushed to death in a mass stampede [33].

All parties agreed that the late surge of fans from outside of the main event was poorly handled and that the council could have erected big plasma TV screens outside the event for those unable to get in.[3][15]

An official, independent report by a Health and Safety consultant, placed the final blame on Birmingham City Council's choice of fencing. The usual solid fencing used was deemed to be unsafe in the high winds, so was replaced by see-through temporary fencing that same morning. Despite this, the report concluded that pre-planning for the event was "satisfactory". It was believed that members of the public could see spaces in the crows appearing through the see-through fence and decided to climb over, resulting in the fence collapsing, causing the subsequent surge and injuries.[34]

Reported alcohol and possible drug usage

Whilst alcohol was consumed by some fans, there was no credible proof that any were dangerously intoxicated.[original research?] Reports of MDMA(ecstasy) abuse were also dismissed at the time by both police and medics.[citation needed]

It was a forewarning of the similar, but more lethal, event that happened at the Love Parade concert in Duisburg in North Rhine-Westphalia on July 25, 2010, in which 21 died and 340 were injured.[35][36][37][improper synthesis?]

Barriers used

Plastic laminated hessian cloth fencing, sheet metal fencing, French crowd control barriers and chane link tempory fencing were in use at the event.[38]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Dozens hurt in lights switch-on". BBC News. 2009-11-14. Retrieved 2010-04-23.
  2. ^ a b c Aspinall, Adam (2009-11-15). "Birmingham Christmas lights disaster: MP feared another Hillsborough tragedy". Sunday Mercury. Retrieved 2009-11-15.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Concert-goers condemn crush chaos". BBC News. 2009-11-15. Retrieved 2009-11-15.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g "Dozens hurt in lights switch-on". BBC News. 2009-11-14. Retrieved 2009-11-15.
  5. ^ a b "JLS Christmas lights injuries: Council defends organisation". The Daily Telegraph. London. 2009-11-15. Retrieved 2010-04-23.
  6. ^ a b [1]
  7. ^ a b c d [2]
  8. ^ a b c d e f "'Something bad was going to happen'". Have Your Say. BBC News. 2009-11-15. Retrieved 2009-11-15.
  9. ^ a b c d [3]
  10. ^ "Island acts in the news". isleofman.com. 2009-11-15. Retrieved 2009-11-15.
  11. ^ a b c d e "Scores hurt at JLS lights switch-on". Google. Press Association. 2009-11-15. Retrieved 2009-11-15.
  12. ^ a b Coleman, Andrew (2009-11-09). "The Saturdays, Natalie Imbruglia and Tinchy Stryder join line-up for Birmingham Christmas lights switch-on". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 2009-11-15.
  13. ^ a b "Fans hurt at X Factor group's gig". BBC News. 2008-12-09. Retrieved 2010-04-23.
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h "Something bad was going to happen". BBC News. 2009-11-15. Retrieved 2010-04-23.
  15. ^ a b c d e f Johnston, Ian (2009-11-14). "Sixty people hurt in crush to see JLS at Christmas lights event in Birmingham". London: The Telegraph. Retrieved 2009-11-15.
  16. ^ a b c d e "Fans hurt at X Factor group's gig". BBC News. 2008-12-09. Retrieved 2009-11-16.
  17. ^ a b c d e [4]
  18. ^ a b c d e f [5]
  19. ^ [6]
  20. ^ [7]
  21. ^ a b [8]
  22. ^ a b c [9]
  23. ^ a b http://www.croydonguardian.co.uk/news/3959960.X_Factor_fans_hurt_in_JLS_ticket_stampede/. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  24. ^ a b c [10]
  25. ^ [11]
  26. ^ [12]
  27. ^ [13]
  28. ^ [14]
  29. ^ [15]
  30. ^ [16]
  31. ^ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/celebritynews/6574452/JLS-Christmas-lights-injuries-Council-defends-organisation.html[]. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  32. ^ [17]
  33. ^ [18]
  34. ^ "Christmas lights fiasco blamed on see-through fence". Birmingham Mail.
  35. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-10753448
  36. ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jul/24/love-parade-festival-tunnel-stampede
  37. ^ http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/26/world/europe/26germany.html?src=mv
  38. ^ [19]
  39. ^ [20]
  40. ^ [21]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=2009_Birmingham_Millennium_Point_stampede&oldid=376266822"