Three in hospital after fire and crush at festival
What Happened at the Festival
Constantvpn.com – Three in hospital after fire and crush at a London festival has prompted emergency services to respond to what organisers described as a major incident. The Ghana Party in the Park, also known as Shattafest UK, was taking place at Copthall Playing Fields in Barnet, north London, when the event was brought to an early end on Saturday evening.
The incident occurred at approximately 18:00 BST when a small fire broke out near the festival entrance gates. According to the Metropolitan Police, the fire caused the gates to close temporarily, which led to a buildup of people waiting to enter. When the gates were reopened, a crowd surge developed, resulting in several attendees sustaining injuries.
“The event was ended early, and crowds left without further incident,” the Met Police confirmed in their statement.
Festival organisers made the difficult decision to close the event entirely on health and safety grounds. In a statement, they described the day as “one of the most difficult” in the event’s history and called what happened “deeply upsetting” for everyone involved.
Emergency Response and Aftermath
Multiple emergency services were called to the scene, including firefighters, the London Ambulance Service, and an air ambulance. Organisers had initially “temporarily paused” the festival while emergency teams responded to the small fire at the entrance.
A spokesperson for the event explained: “Once the incident had been addressed and the affected area declared safe, normal event operations resumed. Later in the day a crowd surge at the festival entrance resulted in several attendees sustaining injuries.”
The Metropolitan Police reported that officers responded quickly to the situation. Working alongside event organisers, they formed a barrier between the surging crowds and people on the floor. Officers provided initial medical care, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to those who needed it most urgently.
A total of 23 people received some form of assistance either from the emergency services or the event medical team. Of these, nine people were assessed by the London Ambulance Service. Three in hospital after fire and crush was confirmed as the number of people requiring hospital treatment, with their conditions confirmed as non-life-threatening.
Organisers took the opportunity to clarify that there were no incidents of stabbing and deaths as had been speculated on social media. They added: “We wish all those who sustained injuries a speedy recovery, and safe journey back home to everyone.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: When did the incident occur? A: The fire and crush happened on Saturday evening at approximately 18:00 BST at Copthall Playing Fields in Barnet, London.
Q: How many people were injured? A: A total of 23 people received medical assistance, with three being taken to hospital. All three patients had non-life-threatening conditions.
Q: What caused the crowd surge? A: A small fire near the entrance gates caused them to close temporarily. When the gates reopened, a crowd built up and surged, leading to injuries.
Q: Was the festival cancelled completely? A: Yes, organisers decided to end the festival early on health and safety grounds after the crowd surge resulted in multiple injuries.
Q: Were there any deaths reported? A: No. Organisers clarified that there were no deaths or stabbing incidents as had been speculated on social media platforms.
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