[Archive 2009-08-05] Stage collapse at Canadian "Big Valley Jamboree" kills one, and seriously injures four others

Historical archive — originally published 2009-08-05. This report records what was known on that date. It is not current news; subsequent events may have changed the situation. Wikinews closed in May 2026.

Two probes have been initiated into the collapse of the Big Valley Jamboree stage which killed one person, placed four others in the critical care unit and caused injuries to 75 others in Camrose, Alberta located in Canada.

Panhandle Productions has brought in independent investigators to determine why the stage collapsed and to collect evidence. Due to the large number of people trapped under the stage the evidence had to be moved for rescue operations.

The stage is suspected to have been brought down by a phenomenon called plough wind, which produces winds similar to a tornado. This particular front hit speeds greater than 100 km/hr (62 mi/hr). A plough wind travels in narrow straight line paths rather than in circular formations, but causes damage similar to that inflicted by a tornado.

Alberta Municipal Affairs has initiated their investigation into the engineering specifications of the stage and emergency procedures. Alberta occupational health and safety is investigating building codes.

The Big Valley Jamboree is a large annual country music festival located in Camrose, Alberta, Canada which sees 25,000 people attending the four day event.

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Text adapted from Stage collapse at Canadian "Big Valley Jamboree" kills one, and seriously injures four others by Wikinews contributors under CC BY 2.5. Paragraphs have been selected and abridged, and formatting adjusted. Contributor history.