Jared Leto’s band 30 Seconds to Mars was one of the acts set to play yesterday’s ill-fated Pukkelpop festival in Belgium during which at least four people died due to a weather-related stage collapse.
The tragedy comes less than a week after another deadly stage collapse during in a storm. Five people were killed at the Indiana State Fair earlier this month just before a scheduled set by country act Sugarland. Ahead of Pukkelpop, Leto- whose 30 Seconds to Mars was scheduled to perform along with Panic At The Disco, Rise Against, Good Charlotte and Fleet Foxes- began to tweet warnings to festivalgoers about the dangerous weather.
Leto told fans attending the festival that four stages were “down,” and cautioned them to put “safety first” before the catastrophic collapse that killed four. After the tragedy, Leto expressed sympathy to the friends and families of the dead on his blog. He writes :
“Our deepest thoughts and sympathies to the families and friends of those who lost their lives today at the show in Belgium. We are absolutely devastated that this celebration ended in tragedy. To those that were injured we are sending thoughts and prayers.”
Leto continued:
“Obviously under these horrible and dangerous circumstances, and out of respect for those who have passed, Thirty Seconds to Mars will not be playing. We love you all and hope tomorrow brings a better day. -Jared Leto”
Scarily, the BBC reports that the stage collapse was due to storms so violent, an uprooted tree smashed into the stage and downed it. 60,000 people were thought to be in attendance at the festival.
