Ed Sheeran concert workers hospitalized after forklift incident in Detroit: report
Detroit — Six crew members were hospitalized Saturday night after an equipment incident during the teardown of Ed Sheeran’s concert at Ford Field, officials and witnesses said.
The Detroit Fire Department responded around 11 p.m. to a forklift-related accident in the staging area near a vehicle tunnel, according to reports. Six workers sustained injuries during the load-out process as the stage was being dismantled following the singer’s show.
Those injured were transported to a local hospital. Among them, one crew member was released Sunday after an overnight stay. Another worker, who was struck in the chest, told reporters he had “never experienced anything like that” and that everything “happened in a split second.”
Of those hospitalized, two were listed in serious condition while the remaining four were in stable condition. No injuries were reported as life-threatening.
Witnesses told outlet that several crew members were on a break when the equipment lost control and struck multiple people. The exact cause of the equipment malfunction remains under investigation.
Ford Field issued a statement Sunday saying the venue has “begun a full review and is cooperating with the appropriate authorities and with the event’s production partners.” The statement added, “Out of respect for the people involved and the integrity of that review, we will not speculate on the cause. We are grateful to the Detroit Fire Department and EMS for their rapid response.”
Representatives for Ford Field and for Sheeran’s production team did not immediately respond to requests for further comment.
The incident occurred during the final leg of Sheeran’s Loop Tour, which began in January in support of his eighth studio album, “Play.” The nationwide run included 57 concerts and is scheduled to resume on Sept. 4 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, with a two-night finale in Mexico City in December.
The concert-going audience was not affected by the incident, and the show itself concluded without issue before the load-out process began.
