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22,000 Evacuated From Tomorrowland Festival After Stage Catches Fire

After flames engulfed the main stage, Tomorrowland UNITE organizers say all 22,000 attendees were safely evacuated on Saturday night. No injuries from the fire have been reported so far.

Video footage shows sparks spewing out of the stagecraft, growing into a full-stage inferno, obscured by massive plumes of smoke.

The fire was the result of a "technical malfunction," according to a statement from Tomorrowland's Facebook:

"Tonight, July 29th 2017, the UNITE Barcelona stage caught fire due to a technical malfunction. Thanks to the professional intervention of the authorities all 22.000 visitors were evacuated safely and without reports of injuries. Authorities will follow up and continue the investigation with the local Spanish organizer of UNITE."

Festival-goers captured the scene on social media.

The fire broke out hours before headliner DJ Steve Aoki was set to perform at 2 a.m. The popular EDM festival, usually held in Belgium, announced additional events this year, in eight different countries, branded as "Unite with Tomorrowland."

In addition to Spain, Tomorrowland has also cancelled its Taiwan stop, "to ensure everyone's safety."

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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