Six workers were hospitalized after a forklift accident during the breakdown of Ed Sheeran’s concert at Ford Field in Detroit on Saturday night.
The incident occurred around 11 p.m. As crews were tearing down the stage following the “Shape of You” singer’s performance, according to the Detroit Fire Department. All six injured workers were transported to local hospitals for treatment.
Two of the workers were listed in serious condition during transport, while the remaining four were in stable condition. None of the injuries appeared to be life-threatening, reports indicated.
Several workers told Click On Detroit they had been heading on a break when the equipment suddenly “lost control” and struck multiple people near a vehicle tunnel where the stage was being dismantled. One crew member, who was hit in the chest, described the chaotic scene to the outlet.
“I’d never experienced anything like that,” he said. Everything “happened in a split second.”
Another worker was released from the hospital Sunday after staying overnight. The conditions of the other four injured workers were not immediately updated.
Ford Field confirmed that one of those hurt was an employee of the stadium itself. The venue issued a statement addressing the accident and its response.
“Ford Field has begun a full review and is cooperating with the appropriate authorities and with the event’s production partners,” the stadium said. “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.”
The 33-year-old British singer-songwriter launched his +–=÷× (Mathematics) Tour, also referred to as the Loop Tour, in January to support his eighth studio album, “Play.” The trek has included 57 concerts across multiple continents.
Sheeran, who has not publicly addressed the Detroit incident, performed at Ford Field as part of the ongoing North American leg of the tour. His representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment following the accident.
The Saturday night show was one of the final performances before a brief break in the schedule. The tour is set to resume next month with a string of major stadium dates.
Sheeran’s next scheduled performance is Sept. 4 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.