This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . The next check for changes will be
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cpwqewyrw57o
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Tomorrowland: Organisers say festival will go ahead after main stage fire | Tomorrowland: Organisers say festival will go ahead after main stage fire |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Fire engulfs main stage of Tomorrowland music festival | Fire engulfs main stage of Tomorrowland music festival |
| Tens of thousands of campers have arrived at Tomorrowland in Belgium, a day after a fire destroyed the festival's main stage. | Tens of thousands of campers have arrived at Tomorrowland in Belgium, a day after a fire destroyed the festival's main stage. |
| Festival organisers have insisted that the event in the town of Boom, south of Antwerp, will continue without the stage, adding that they are "focused on finding solutions". | Festival organisers have insisted that the event in the town of Boom, south of Antwerp, will continue without the stage, adding that they are "focused on finding solutions". |
| Nobody was injured in Wednesday evening's blaze and experts are working to determine a cause. | Nobody was injured in Wednesday evening's blaze and experts are working to determine a cause. |
| The electronic dance music festival is due to start on Friday, with 400,000 people expected to attend over two weekends. | The electronic dance music festival is due to start on Friday, with 400,000 people expected to attend over two weekends. |
| Hundreds of artists, including David Guetta, Lost Frequencies, Swedish House Mafia and Charlotte De Witte are expected to perform. | Hundreds of artists, including David Guetta, Lost Frequencies, Swedish House Mafia and Charlotte De Witte are expected to perform. |
| The local fire service has declared the site safe and a decision will now be made about whether to demolish the structure before the festival begins on Friday. | The local fire service has declared the site safe and a decision will now be made about whether to demolish the structure before the festival begins on Friday. |
| The campsite, known as DreamVille, has opened and so far organisers say this weekend's event will continue. | The campsite, known as DreamVille, has opened and so far organisers say this weekend's event will continue. |
| Bradley Cooper-Barnard drove from London with three other friends. | |
| "This is my fourth Tomorrowland and things definitely feel a little different," he told the BBC. | |
| "Dreamville itself feels very much subdued, there's a bit of a sombre feeling around. In all of my previous years by this time of the day people are partying and there's usually music everywhere - it's quite quiet but a good amount of people around," he said. | |
| "We've got our tents set up and we're going to have a great time come what may." | |
| Bradley Cooper-Barnard and his friends are determined to enjoy the experience | |
| In its latest post on Instagram on Thursday, Tomorrowland said: "It is impossible to put into words what we're feeling." | In its latest post on Instagram on Thursday, Tomorrowland said: "It is impossible to put into words what we're feeling." |
| It added that the Orbyz main stage "wasn't just a stage... it was was living breathing world". | |
| Organisers said they had worked through the night to come up with solutions. A meeting was held with safety experts and members of local government on Thursday morning to discuss a contingency plan. | Organisers said they had worked through the night to come up with solutions. A meeting was held with safety experts and members of local government on Thursday morning to discuss a contingency plan. |
| The mayor of Rumst, just north of Boom, told local media that another meeting discussing more ideas for an alternative to the main stage would be held in the afternoon. | The mayor of Rumst, just north of Boom, told local media that another meeting discussing more ideas for an alternative to the main stage would be held in the afternoon. |
| "Cancelling the festival completely is the last thing we want to do," Jurgen Callaerts said. | "Cancelling the festival completely is the last thing we want to do," Jurgen Callaerts said. |
| There are 14 other stages at the festival, all much smaller than the main stage. | There are 14 other stages at the festival, all much smaller than the main stage. |
| Further details are expected to be released later on Thursday. | Further details are expected to be released later on Thursday. |
| The fire started around 18:00 local time (16:00 GMT) on Wednesday. Videos posted on social media showed thick grey smoke engulfing the stage. | The fire started around 18:00 local time (16:00 GMT) on Wednesday. Videos posted on social media showed thick grey smoke engulfing the stage. |
| Some residents were evacuated as firefighters worked to stop the flames from reaching neighbouring homes and woodland. | Some residents were evacuated as firefighters worked to stop the flames from reaching neighbouring homes and woodland. |
| A police helicopter carrying water was also deployed to help extinguish the fire. | A police helicopter carrying water was also deployed to help extinguish the fire. |
| One employee who had been working on the site described "an apocalyptic scene" as the fire broke out. | One employee who had been working on the site described "an apocalyptic scene" as the fire broke out. |
| "We suddenly heard bangs and saw fire near the stage, a huge amount of fire," the unnamed individual told Het Nieuwsblad newspaper. | "We suddenly heard bangs and saw fire near the stage, a huge amount of fire," the unnamed individual told Het Nieuwsblad newspaper. |
| "We were just putting the finishing touches on it. One more day and it would be finished. Four weeks of work... gone in half an hour." | "We were just putting the finishing touches on it. One more day and it would be finished. Four weeks of work... gone in half an hour." |
| Tomorrowland began in 2005 and has become the biggest electronic dance festival in the world, attracting music fans from every continent. | Tomorrowland began in 2005 and has become the biggest electronic dance festival in the world, attracting music fans from every continent. |