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Home > Austin Music Source > Archives > 2007 > September > 14 > Entry
Fire at the ACL festival grounds
Two Austin City Limits Festival service employees, critically injured in a fire earlier this afternoon, were flown to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio. Two other injured employees were treated at Brackenridge Hospital.
Sending a shock wave through an otherwise peaceful, if hot and well-attended festival, a column of black smoke billowed above ACL’s festival grounds at 2:30 p.m., as a fire erupted in a service recreational vehicle and spread to two 18-wheelers behind the beverage vendor tents between the WaMu and AT&T stages on the north rim of the field.
The fire turned into a guessing game for thousands of music fans who were on the concert grounds at midday. They weren’t sure what was burning, but many surmised it was one of the concession stands. Black smoke rose above the tree-dotted northeast corner of the park where the WaMu Stage is flanked by a food court and a beer “tavern.”
“Around 2:30, I heard some popping noises,” said Courtney Powell, who was watching Pete Yorn on the AT&T stage. “You’d see a little smoke, then two cops went running in that direction.”
“It all took place in a working area for employees only in the back perimeter,” said Troy Officer, emergency services coordinator for the festival. “No patrons were ever in danger. The crowd was great, assisting officers setting up emergency tape. The immediate area around the fire was cleared within minutes.”
EMS officer Mike Elliott said two people heard a noise in an RV parked in the service area and that when they opened the door of the vehicle they were engulfed in flames. He said it apparently was a flash fire and not an explosion.
Three fire engines and EMS crews arrived on the scene near the Town Lake Tavern beverage area near Lou Neff Road. Austin Fire Department spokeswoman Michelle DeCrane said that emergency personnel arrived six minutes after the first unit was assigned, or nine minutes after the first 911 call was received.
A hazardous materials team also arrived on the scene and set up monitors, but the slight wind from the south shifted the smoke away from the audience.
Crowds cleared a path on the service road for the fire trucks, which rolled quickly toward the blaze. Organizers stopped the music and cleared half the area in front of the AT&T stage, pushing people to the south.
Elliott said that although music fans were drawn to the area of the fire, “the crowds obeyed extremely well” when told to move back. He said advance planning by all the safety and security agencies involved enabled the response to be as “good as could be expected” considering the 65,000 people on the Zilker Park grounds.
By 3:10 p.m., police tape had been removed from most of the scene, and the music resumed.
The Barton Springs Road entrance gates were packed with arriving fans at 2:30 when the fire broke out. It was taking about 20 minutes to get into concert area at that time and the lines did not slow after the smoke was spotted. Fire trucks sped past those in line along Lou Neff Road, which was closed to all but festival staff, artists and media.
While the fire interrupted Pete Yorn’s set on the AT&T Stage, music continued on the seven other stages spread around the Zilker Park soccer fields. Many fans were just arriving to catch Crowded House or Joss Stone on two of the bigger stages.
No early crowd estimates were available, but festival organizers expected 65,000 to be on the grounds before Bjork’s closing set at 8:30 p.m.
Blue skies dominated the afternoon as temperatures reached into mid 90s. Festival goers who walked at midday to the park through South Austin neighborhoods and along Barton Springs Road from downtown got to the gates dripping with sweat and drinking water, which was sold along the roadways by homeowners and other vendors.
The sixth edition of the festival continues today with headliners Arcade Fire and Muse (in place of the canceled White Stripes) and closes Sunday night with Bob Dylan.
Click here to view more photos.
(Writers John T. Davis, Matthew Odam, Ed Crowell, Marques G. Harper, Tony Plohetski and Mike Elliott contributed to this report.)
(Photo by Jay Janner AMERICAN-STATESMAN)
Permalink | Comments (22) | Categories: ACL Festival
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By Tarvin
September 14, 2007 2:55 PM | Link to this
Town Lake Tavern? Where’s that
By Lyndsey
September 14, 2007 3:01 PM | Link to this
Sources say that it is a camper of some sort that caught on fire.
By mary
September 14, 2007 3:12 PM | Link to this
sooo is it safe to go down there??? how can we find out any info about what the situation is??
thank you mary
By mal
September 14, 2007 3:23 PM | Link to this
I just spoke with someone who is at the park and they are letting new people in through security
By acl
September 14, 2007 3:24 PM | Link to this
It is safe…music has resumed. See above.
By Troy
September 14, 2007 3:25 PM | Link to this
The smoke’s completely cleared out it seems. If the music’s resumed, then it’s probably safe to go down there.
By david
September 14, 2007 3:55 PM | Link to this
Just spoke to my sister at the scene. She says things are under control and the festival goes on.
By Scott
September 14, 2007 4:06 PM | Link to this
TL Tavern is a vendor tent I think
By Jeremiah
September 14, 2007 4:07 PM | Link to this
This is just like that cook-off in Brady. People, be careful!
By shani
September 14, 2007 4:14 PM | Link to this
it was some folks barbqueing the propane tank exploded four folks hurt
By sid
September 14, 2007 4:31 PM | Link to this
It’s weird that the mantra is that no patrons were injured. That’s tacky. I’m pretty sure the critically injured people don’t care if they were patrons or not.
By Mare
September 14, 2007 4:34 PM | Link to this
Is the hike and bike trail open and is there parking for the walkers?
By Austinite
September 14, 2007 4:43 PM | Link to this
Oh, don’t be so sensitive. They’re reporting news. They probably wanted to get the message out to all the parents of kids down there that none of them are hurt. It goes without saying that our thoughts and prayers are with those injured. This is Austin!
By sid
September 14, 2007 4:56 PM | Link to this
What about the parents of the people working there? Don’t be insensitive.
By SE
September 14, 2007 5:05 PM | Link to this
I know the guys who were hurt, at least one of them is in pretty bad shape. Those of you who pray, please say a prayer for them and their families. My husband works with them and left the area just minutes before the explosion.
By Charlie
September 14, 2007 5:10 PM | Link to this
Are there no safety precautions? How could such a thing happen? It is fortunate there weren’t more injuries.
By TK
September 14, 2007 5:42 PM | Link to this
Charlie - that’s why they call it an accident. They happen regardless of precautions, just like they could in your backyard. I hope everyone recovers who was hurt, and that the show can go on as planned.
By earley
September 14, 2007 5:57 PM | Link to this
does anyone know the names please? my friend and her son were working today.
By Brow
September 14, 2007 8:37 PM | Link to this
Just be glad they (the burn victims) were sent to the best burn center in the WORLD. I know, my dad was hospitalized at Brooke for three months, and lived for 28 years thanks to their amazing work.
By Steve Skoal
September 14, 2007 10:18 PM | Link to this
Thank GOD no patrons were injured. That would have put a serious kink in our music listening plans. They might have shut the whole thing down. Boy, were we lucky. Drink up!!!
By SE
September 15, 2007 7:48 AM | Link to this
The two guys who went to Brackenridge have been treated and released. The two who went to Brooke Army have serious injuries, but both are expected to recover. All of their co-workers who continue to work at ACL are obviously very relieved to know they are going to be ok, eventually.
By Matt
September 17, 2007 10:49 AM | Link to this
we were working the recycling team and I drove by on our golf cart and saw the fire as it started, we called for help on the walkie talkie. there was not even a fire truck onsite. unbelievable