23 November 2023 , 17:40
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Police have launched an investigation after a fan died during a scorching heatwave at Taylor Swift’s concert in Brazil.
Officials have reportedly opened a probe into the company behind Taylor’s sold-out shows in the country, Time4Fun, after Ana Clara Benevides Machado, 23, died before the singer’s gig at Estádio Nilton Santos in Rio de Janiero on Friday.
According to NBC News, a representative for the city’s Civil Police Department said the consumer delegations department is investigating the alleged “crime of endangering the life and health” of the show’s attendees by the company who organised the shows at the stadium.
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Taylor paid tribute to the fan after the devastating news broke (Getty Images for TAS Rights Management)Authorities also confirmed that company executives from Time4Fun will be called to testify, and have taken steps to “to investigate the facts.”
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Brazilian newspaper Estadão claimed that police are set to “investigate everything that fans reported, such as the structure of the place and the availability of water”, after it was alleged fans had complained about the lack of water at the packed stadium.
Ana Clara Benevides Machado fell unconscious before the pop star took to the stage, and was attended to by first responders in the venue before being transferred to Salagdo Filho Hospital, where she later died.
Fans queue outside the stadium in the sweltering heat before Taylor's gig (AFP via Getty Images)Prosecutors announced they would investigate her cause of death, which has not been disclosed. On the day of Ana’s death, temperatures reached 102F, and the heatwave that tore through the city forced Taylor to postpone her gig on Saturday due to “extreme temperatures in Rio.”
Taylor took to social media tp pay tribute to the young fan who lost her life, and said she was heartbroken over the tragedy. “I can’t believe I’m writing these words, but it’s with a shattered heart that I say we lost a fan earlier tonight before my show,” she began.
Authorities are investigating the organisers of Taylor's concerts (Getty Images)“I can’t even tell you how devastated I am by this. There’s very little information I have other than the fact she was so incredibly beautiful and far too young. I’m not going to be able to speak about this from the stage because I feel overwhelmed by grief when I even try to talk about it," Taylor sadly shared.
“I want to say now I feel this loss deeply and my heart goes out to her family and friends. This is the last thing I ever thought would happen when we decided to bring this tour to Brazil,” she concluded.