(Bloomberg) — A giant screen fell onto the stage during a performance by popular canto-pop band Mirror in Hong Kong on Thursday, injuring two backup dancers and prompting the city’s leader to order an investigation into the matter.
The injured performers were rushed to Queen Elizabeth Hospital on Thursday, and three audience members were treated for shock, a police spokesperson said Friday.
One of the two dancers was in serious condition and was suspected of suffering a spinal cord injury, local media including Ming Pao reported. The other dancer was in a stable condition, according to the paper.
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee expressed his sympathies for the injured and contacted his relevant departments to investigate the matter to ensure the safety of performers, staff and public.
The gruesome incident was the top news on local media on Friday and the highest trending topic on China’s Twitter-like Weibo. Video clips of the event flooded social media platforms showing the giant screen breaking loose and collapsing on the performers.
The 12-member Mirror boyband, which has shot to super stardom in Hong Kong in recent years, is managed by companies controlled by billionaire Richard Li, whose father Li Ka-shing is among Hong Kong’s richest men.
The concert, held at the Hong Kong Coliseum in Kowloon, was organized by MakerVille. The company is controlled by PCCW Ltd., which is part of the junior Li’s business empire.
Li, who’s chairman of PCCW, extended his condolences to the injured and their families, a representative for the tycoon said.
The company will bear the cost of medical expenses for the injured and follow up on the incident with due care and attention, according to the representative.
Separately, Hong Kong’s education bureau urged the public to stop circulating videos about the incident and advised parents to arrange counseling for kids who may be disturbed by the event.
The Hong Kong Red Cross started a hotline for affected people to call in for help.
(Updates with comment from Richard Li representative in penultimate paragraph, statements from education bureau and Red Cross in final paragraph.)
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