Stagehand falls to death at Bowie concert

[United Press International]

MIAMI, May 7 (UPI) -- A David Bowie concert was canceled
when a spotlight technician fell to his death minutes before the
British singer was set to take the stage in Miami.
The 44-year-old Broward, Fla., resident, whom authorities
have not yet publicly identified, was climbing toward a spotlight
when he fell 45 feet from a chain ladder Thursday, landing on his
head, Ignatius Carroll, a Miami Fire Department spokesman said in
Friday's Miami Herald.
His fall, in the darkened back area of the stage, was
visible to some concertgoers and caused a boom heard throughout the
entire James L. Knight Center. Stagehands immediately obscured the
scene by lowering a concert banner and black cloth, the Herald said.
The victim was one of three spotlight technicians working
the show, none of whom were wearing safety tethers, said Delrish
Moss, Miami police spokesman.
Clear Channel Entertainment, who has asked concertgoers to
save their ticket stubs, said it will announce within 48 hours
whether tickets will be refunded or if the concert will be
rescheduled.
Bowie is scheduled to play Saturday in Atlanta.

[United Press International]

MIAMI, May 7 (UPI) -- Rock star David Bowie's "Reality Tour"
concert in Miami won't be rescheduled after the death of a stagehand
forced cancellation of a performance.
Clear Channel, promoter of the show, announced the decision
Friday, the Miami Herald reported.
Wally Thomas, 44, of Pembroke Pines fell Thursday night from
a wire ladder about 50 feet above the stage. Thomas was climbing the
ladder, but the actual cause of the fall had not been determined.
Stagehand Armando Curonel said Thomas, who was not wearing a
safety harness, was filling in for another work and wasn't
originally scheduled to work.
Immediately after the accident Bowie and his company issued
a statement saying they are "deeply saddened by the news of this
tragic accident and send their sincerest condolences and thoughts to
the stagehand's family and friends."
A sold-out crowd of about 4,600 left peacefully after the
cancellation was announced.