At least 12 people were injured when a stage collapsed during a school event in Peru.
Disturbing footage showed dozens of people surrounding a mariachi singer during a function Wednesday night to celebrate the anniversary of the San Nicolás school in Huamachucho, a city in the department of Sánchez Carrión.
As the mariachi artist began to interpret a song, the platform suddenly gave way and crashed to the ground as spectators watched in horror.
First responders were on the scene immediately and assisted the injured, including a teacher and two students aged 14 and 15, who were rushed to Leoncio Prado Hospital.
All functions at the San Nicolás school have been suspended.
Witnesses told Peruvian newspaper Perú.21 that the stage was set up between 8pm and 9pm local time on the night of the event.
They said that it was done without any safety inspection.
The outlet reported that the collapse may have been caused by the number of spectators who were standing on the stage.
A mariachi singer was just beginning to perform when the stage collapsed at a show to celebrate the anniversary of the San Nicolás school in Huamachuco, Peru on Tuesday
Authorities have opened an investigation to determine the cause of the incident, which left 12 people injured at an outdoors school event in Huamachuco, a city in the Peruvian province of Sánchez Carrión
The Regional Emergency Operations Center is leading the investigation to determine what caused the collapse of the stage, which was set up in the city’s Plaza de Armas.
Cesar Montes, who leads the Sánchez Carrión Municipal Public Services Department, suspended the removal of debris so that investigators can probe the accident.
‘The one who has to answer here is the one who rented the stage,’ Montes told local reporters.
The Peruvian Public Ministry said in a statement that deputy provincial prosecutor, Wilson Muñoz, had requested information about how the event was put together and the permits that were granted.
An injured person is carried away by first responders following a stage collapse at an outdoors school event in Huamachuco, Peru on Tuesday night
One of the 12 injured victims is placed on the flatbed of a police pickup truck before they were rushed to a local hospital
In addition, Muñoz solicited a Civil Defense report on the ‘security conditions’ and all records that are ‘related to the service provider for installing the stage, among other relevant measures to clarify the events and determine criminal liability.’
Despite the accident, the festivities continued after the injured were removed from the scene.
The incident took place just one day before a wall on the exterior of a school under construction collapsed in the city of Arequipa, located 1,000 miles south of Huamachucho.
Authorities said the wall came apart following strong wind gusts overnight Tuesday. No injuries were reported.
