More than a dozen people were injured in Oklahoma on Saturday when severe weather took down an outdoor concert entrance, according to the casino where the event was set to be held. (Joe Brown)
More than a dozen people hoping to attend a Backstreet Boys concert were injured in Oklahoma on Saturday when severe weather took down an outdoor concert entrance structure, according to the casino where the event was to be held.
The scheduled outdoor show at WinStar World Casino and Resort in Thackerville, between Oklahoma City and Dallas along Interstate 35, was ultimately postponed.
Earlier, nearby lightning prompted officials around 5 p.m. to start evacuating attendees, the company said in a statement released on Twitter.
“All patrons in the area were asked to move and to seek shelter from the storm,” the statement read. “However, about 150 patrons who were standing in line for the Backstreet Boys concert did not heed staff’s warnings.”
The incoming storm hit the area about a half-hour later, the company said, bringing with it severe rain and strong winds which “knocked over the concert entrance trusses.”
Fourteen people were injured and received care onsite before going to nearby hospitals, according to the statement. Two individuals have since been released, the company said, adding that officers from the Lighthorse Police and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, as well as Love County emergency responders, responded to the scene.
Fourteen people were injured and received care onsite before going to nearby hospitals, a statement said, adding that two individuals have since been released. (Twitter/@austingress)
“We know that fans often suffer through inclement weather for their favorite acts, but this was an unusual event and our thoughts are with those who were injured during this storm,” the statement said.
Nick Carter, one of the members of the pop group, tweeted that he was “praying” for wounded concertgoers.
“Waiting and praying for our fans that were injured. If we can perform were ready to go. But safety is first,” he said.
The venue revealed in a later statement that the concert would be postponed.
"We have been looking forward to a great show with the Backstreet Boys and 98 Degrees for many months," the statement said. "While we were excited to welcome them to The Colosseum at WinStar, the results of serious weather in the area has caused the show to be postponed to a later date."
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