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1 Dead, Dozens Injured in Spain After Music Festival Stage Collapse

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Natxo Frances/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock (13089693c) A Civil Guard vehicle is parked outside the venue of the Medusa Music Festival after a stage partially collapsed in the early morning hours due to strong winds, in the coastal city of Cullera, Valencia, Spain, 13 August 2022. At least one person died and 17 others were injured when part of the main stage collapsed shortly after 04 a.m. local time, the regional emergency services said. At least one dead as music festival stage collapses amid strong winds in Spain, Cullera - 13 Aug 2022

Natxo Frances/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

One person was killed, and dozens more sustained injuries when powerful winds caused a stage to partially collapse early Saturday morning at a music festival in Spain.

As reported by CBS News, medics reported that the incident occurred just after 4 a.m. at the EDM Medusa Festival. The dance music event took place on Cullera beach, about 30 miles south of Valencia, Spain.

CBS reported an unidentified man in his "early 20s" died after being "hit by parts of the stage" as it fell down.

"At 4:18 am, part of the stage at Medusa Festival collapsed in Cullera due to a strong gust of wind," local emergency services reported on Twitter.

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Mandatory Credit: Photo by NATXO FRANCES/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock (13089693d) Attendants leave the facilities of Medusa Music Festival after a stage partially collapsed in the early morning hours due to strong winds, in the coastal city of Cullera, Valencia, Spain, 13 August 2022. At least one person died and 17 others were injured when part of the main stage collapsed shortly after 04 a.m. local time, the regional emergency services said. At least one dead as music festival stage collapses amid strong winds in Spain, Cullera - 13 Aug 2022

NATXO FRANCES/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

"One person died and three were seriously hurt with multiple injuries," the post said. Health authorities later reported there were 40 people injured, according to CBS.

The Medusa Festival also posted, saying an "unexpected and violent gale" came up suddenly in the early morning, leaving management no choice but "to immediately evacuate the concert area to ensure the safety of the festival goers, staff and artists."

All of the scheduled artists and events were canceled after the incident. On the official Instagram for the festival, organizers said safety is their priority, and they could not continue the festival, writing, in Spanish, "We are morally and responsibly obligated to end our 2022 festival."

The Medusa Festival's Circus of Madness was entering its fourth of six days when the winds hit. Photos and video posted to social media showed gusts of wind sending things flying in the venue and nearby campground.

According to the Daily Mail, DJ Miguel Serna, was on stage for a scheduled 3 a.m. set when the storm hit.

"It was a tense few minutes, I've never experienced anything like it before. The tragedy happened just at the end of my session on the main stage, just below it, which was the most affected (area). It was a few moments of horror, I am still in shock," he wrote on his Instagram Stories.

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Natxo Frances/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock (13089693b) The back of the main stage of the Medusa Music Festival after part of it collapsed in the early morning hours due to strong winds, in the coastal city of Cullera, Valencia, Spain, 13 August 2022. At least one person died and 17 others were injured when part of the main stage collapsed shortly after 04 a.m. local time, the regional emergency services said. At least one dead as music festival stage collapses amid strong winds in Spain, Cullera - 13 Aug 2022

Natxo Frances/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

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The festival posted on its social media, writing, in Spanish, "It is a very painful day." They expressed their support for anyone affected, adding, "we express our profound and most sincere condolences."

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The local emergency services account continued to update through the night, including setting up a hotline for emergency services for anyone in attendance at the festival who was affected by the wind. Early Sunday morning, they reported more than 500 calls to the hotline.

They also reported they had evacuated the camping area, for the safety of guests. The annual event, which was on hiatus in 2020 and 2021, was expected to draw more than 320,000 people.

The Medusa Festival did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comments.