The number of people injured has climbed to 44 after bleachers collapsed in the ‘preferred seating’ section at the “Desert Tour” concert by Yuridia at the Hard Rock Hotel venue in Nuevo Vallarta.
A half-hour prior to the show, fans in the preferred seating area began to feel movement in the structure that was over its weight compacity and collapsed, trapping people and collapsing on their legs.
Many people jumped from the bleachers as it began to collapse. Within moments the venue was filled with panic and screams: “an ambulance, an ambulance”.
Appropriate medical and emergency services were unavailable at the Hard Rock hotel, it took nearly two hours to rescue those who were trapped. Many concertgoers helped friends and strangers lying on the grass screaming for help.
People outside the venue were still making their way into the concert without any knowledge of the tragedy happening inside.
The promoter company of the event went on stage to mention that they would take care of the expenses generated by the rehabilitation of the injured, while the public asked that the show continue.
Municipal Civil Protection suddenly ordered that the event be canceled due to the events, in addition to considering that they did not have a contingency plan, regardless of whether they had the Civil Protection endorsement of the State of Nayarit.
Concert promoters and Hard Rock Hotel insisted that the show continue, against the recommendations of Civil Protection, because thousands of people had attended the event and canceling the show could cause violence, especially in Puerto Vallarta, where a history of violence has broken out over canceled concerts.
When the Marco Antonio Solís “The Buki” concert was canceled, the public burned patrols, stole as much as they could from the stage, sound equipment, and left dozens of injured people.
Although the show was delayed for two hours, it was allowed to continue.
Yuridia ended the show without acknowledging the accident at the concert, making no reference to the more than 40 people injured: “God bless you all and see you next time”, while throwing a kiss to the public and his last song “Amigos no”.
