UPDATE: Tragedy Strikes Again: 5 Now Dead in Belgium Stage Collapse

Photo by Pino Misuraca, AFP/Getty Images

It has happened again.

Only five days after the deadly Indiana State Fair Collapse that killed 5 and injured 45 and a month after the Ottawa Bluesfest stage fell, the stage at the Pukkelpop Festival in Hasselt, Belgium has collapsed.

It seems that high winds and heavy rains were the cause of the disaster that has resulted in at least 3 deaths and 40 injuries.

Over 60,000 festival goers were in attendance when the stage collapsed while the Chicago-based band “The Smith Westerners” were on stage.

Lead singer Cullen Omori tweeted his reaction of the disaster: “Stage collapsed max almost got crushed by the tress. I hope pukkelpop has insurance bc all our (expletive) is broke.”  Luckily no one in the band was injured or killed.

The band later released a statement saying: “Amid the chaos it was hard to tell exactly what had happened, but after the rescue teams started coming in it became clear that there were severe injuries and we are now being told there are reports of multiple deaths. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families who lost loved ones in today’s tragedy.”

Hilde Claes, Mayor of Hasselt, has commented that one festival goer died at the festival ground and another at a campsite.  The third death has yet to be commented on.

Festival officials are currently debating whether to continue the three-day festival into Friday and Saturday. The festivals featured acts include Eminem, The Foo Fighters and The Offspring.

Video Courtesy of The Telegraph UK

Update (8/19/11): According to CNN, “A fifth person has died,” Andy Payne, spokesman for the nation’s crisis center.  The festival has since been cancelled.

Read more about the Indiana State Fair Stage Collapse.

Read more about the Ottawa Bluesfest Stage Collapse.

Note:  Featured Image Courtesy of @marieke_h