Radiohead respond to engineer's negligence that caused fatal stage collapse

On June 16, 2012 a stage collapsed at Toronto’s Downsview Park an hour before doors were set to open for 40,000 people there to see Radiohead perform. The accident injured three people and killed the band's drum tech, Scott Johnson. Earlier this week, the Discipline Committee of the Association of Professional Engineers of Ontario (PEO) conducted a hearing to investigate Domenic Cugliari, the person responsible for ensuring the stage's stability prior to the concert. The now-retired engineer admitted to "negligence" and took the blame for the horrendous incident, but Radiohead thinks it's too little, too late, and issued a statement via social media.

"On 16th November 2020, the Discipline Committee of the Association of Professional Engineers of Ontario (PEO) conducted a hearing to investigate Domenic Cugliari, the engineer responsible for the design and approval of the stage which collapsed at Downsview Park in Toronto, ahead of our scheduled show on 16th June 2012, killing Scott Johnson, our tour technician and friend," the band wrote on Instagram.

"Mr Cugliari has acknowledged in this hearing, his catalogue of errors and the negligence on his part that led to the stage collapse and Scott’s death. These admissions are 8 years too late," they continued. "If the evidence now accepted by Mr Cugliari had been agreed at the original court case brought against him, @livenation and the contractor Optex Staging, it would have been complete in one day, with a very different outcome and some justice would have been delivered. As it is, Mr Cugliari has now retired and, is seemingly beyond any legal recrimination."

"This is a sad day," they concluded their somber message. "Our thoughts and love are, as ever, with Scott’s parents, Ken and Sue Johnson, his family and friends, and our crew."

See the post below.

This article was first published on iheart.com and is republished here with permission