6 unforgettable event disasters that taught us a hard lesson

Commonwealth Games 2010 disaster

In the Commonwealth Games 2010, around 19 people were injured in the stadium due to the 100 meters long footbridge collapsing in Delhi. The bridge was leading to one of the main entrances of the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, the venue of the event. 

Lesson- Event organisers should accurately calculate things like optimum capacity of venue and weight capacity of an area. Especially at big event such as this, planners should properly examine the bridges and infrastructures public shall be using at the time.

Make in India fire

Although no casualties were reported, equipment and decorations worth Rs 5 crore were burnt down in a Make in India event in the year 2016 in Mumbai. The Mumbai fire department report had blamed organizers and the event management company. The cause of the fire was said to be a defective electric circuit and the flames caught wind as the event was at the breezy seashore.

Lesson- Check and double check all the electric circuits multiple times before executing an event and try to work with fire retardant material. Sometimes nature is not on your side. And always make provisions for multiple exits at a crowded event.

Tragic crane collapse at wedding

Two people died and four people were injured at a wedding in Gujarat in 2014 when a 40 ft. hydraulic crane toppled over after being parked in mud on site. The crane lowered the platform carrying the bride and groom which crashed to the ground.

Lesson- Setting up of a hydraulic crane on an uneven and muddy ground may result in disasters similar to this. Do avoid facing related circumstances by working on level ground with a firm foundation.

Stage takes a splash in Chennai

Three persons had died when the wooden stage installed above a swimming pool put up for New Year party at Savera hotel in Chennai in the year 2008 had collapsed. The magistrate court had absolved the MD of the hotel and five others of the charge for causing the accident. Also, the police had registered a case of negligence against the event manager, stage contractor and hotel authorities.

Lesson- Event organizers should recheck the stage before they commence with an event and should consider the safety of attendees to be most important.

Bharatpur wall collapse

The 90 feet long wall in a wedding venue had collapsed in Bharatpur, Rajasthan this year, leaving 24 dead and 30 injured. The owner was booked for culpable homicide not amounting to murder. 

Lesson- The infrastructure or the venue should be rechecked for cracks or any possible damages which could result in its collapsing. 

LG’s big blunder

In the year 2013, Korean Manufacturer LG had decided to host a public giveaway to promote one of its new G2 smartphones in which the company released 100 helium-filled balloons into the air, with a voucher for a new phone in each one. The crowd surged forward, pulling out BB guns, knives, and other weapons with an intention to pop the balloons, which soon turned into a riot.

Lesson- Large crowds can easily turn into a mob. Always retain control of the environment in which an event is been organised. Proper security is a must for any event especially if one is planning to manage a large crowd.