A tragic incident has occurred in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where a technician was crushed to death while assembling the stage for pop superstar Shakira's upcoming free concert. The worker, whose identity has not yet been disclosed, sustained severe leg injuries after a lifting system malfunctioned, according to a statement from Rio de Janeiro's fire department.
Colleagues managed to free the man from the debris and rushed him to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. The concert, scheduled for Saturday on Copacabana beach, is expected to draw a massive crowd. Organisers Bonus Track expressed their condolences, confirming the technician's passing.
Witness Antonio Marcos Ferreira dos Santos described the scene: "Out of nowhere, we saw people running, and when we looked, the structure was on the ground. People were saying that a man had gotten trapped underneath. People rushed over to pull him out."
Shakira has not yet commented on the tragedy. The concert is part of her Women No Longer Cry World Tour, which has been one of the highest-grossing tours of the year. Earlier this year, the singer made headlines after a fall during a performance in San Salvador, El Salvador, where she twisted her ankle but quickly recovered and continued the show.
The tour, which began last year, features songs from her album of the same name, including a track rumoured to be about her ex-partner Gerard Piqué. The incident has cast a shadow over the highly anticipated free event, with workers and machinery remaining idle at the site.
