Coachella festival worker of 20 years falls to his death in staging area
A man who had worked for Coachella festival for two decades has died after falling from a stage.
The employee fell to his death on Saturday while setting up for the upcoming festival in Indio in California, police spokesperson Benjamin Guitron said.
The man - whose identity has yet to be disclosed to the public - was found dead when police arrived at around 9.30am local time.
Goldenvoice Media Group, which promotes the annual Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, voiced their grief over his death.
"Today, Goldenvoice lost a colleague, a friend, a family member. Our friend fell while working on a festival stage. It is with heavy hearts and tremendous difficulty that we confirm his passing,” the company said in a statement.
“He has been with our team for 20 years in the desert and was doing what he loved. He was a hard-working and loving person that cared deeply about his team. As our lead rigger, he was responsible for the countless incredible shows that have been put on at the festival. We will miss him dearly."
According to a tweet from the Riverside office of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the worker fell from a roof.
The Riverside County Coroner's Office and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) are investigating the incident and attempting to work out what led to the fatal fall.
According to celebrity news site TMZ, an eyewitness said the employee, who was not wearing a safety harness, was climbing the stage scaffolding and fell about 60 feet.
Weekend one of Coachella is scheduled to begin on 12 April - with weekend two kicking off on 19 April. Childish Gambino, Tame Impala and Ariana Grande are his year's headline acts.
