Press Statement from the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority

The West Kowloon Cultural District Authority (WKCDA) is very concerned about the medical emergencies that occurred during the Road to Ultra (RTU) yesterday. We regret that four members of the audience were sent to hospital due to heat stroke. It is very sad and unfortunate that one of them has passed away and we would like to express our deepest condolence to the family of the deceased. We also wish those who remain in hospital a rapid recovery.
 

RTU is a global electronic dance and music festival whose second edition in Hong Kong was organised on the Nursery Park by an outside hirer. According to the licensing agreement with the Authority, the organisers have provided all the necessary Government licences, including a Temporary Places of Public Entertainment Licence, for record. They have also engaged around 100 security guards to control the flow of the audience and carry out comprehensive bag checks at the entrance to the event.
 

There were three first aid booths on site yesterday with qualified first aiders and all necessary equipment. Any audience member who felt sick could approach the nearest medical booth for body checks and assessment. Any medical cases that could not be handled on the site were immediately sent to hospital by ambulance.
 

In view of the weather and the heat, the organisers issued reminders that free water refills were available and encouraged participants to take advantage of these arrangements.
 

WKCDA will fully co-operate with the Police during the investigation into these tragic events. We are also reviewing the procedures of venue hire to ensure that all users of the facilities within the West Kowloon Cultural District can do so safely at all times.
 

Remarks

West Kowloon Cultural District
Located on Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour, the West Kowloon Cultural District is one of the largest cultural projects in the world. Its vision is to create a vibrant new cultural quarter for Hong Kong. With a complex of theatres, performance spaces, and M+, the West Kowloon Cultural District will produce and host world-class exhibitions, performances, and cultural events, as well as provide 23 hectares of public open space, including a two-kilometre waterfront promenade.