Taylor Swift fan's death in Brazil heatwave sparks probe by authorities

Article content

Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page.

Taylor Swift’s fan’s death at her gig in Brazil’s heatwave has reportedly sparked an investigation by authorities.

The ‘Bad Blood’ singer, 33, said she was left “overwhelmed” with grief over the shock passing of Ana Clara Benevides, 23 – who is said to have fainted ahead of her death on Friday while she was in the front row of the Estádio Nilton Santos in Rio de Janeiro in temperatures of 60C to see Taylor perform.

Officials have now launched a probe into a Brazilian entertainment company after a fan died during a show they produced for Taylor Swift last week, according to NBC News.

Authorities in Rio de Janeiro told the outlet they are probing Time4Fun, the organizers behind Taylor’s ‘Eras Tour’ concerts in the South American country.

A spokesperson for the Civil Police Department said its consumer delegations department are investigating whether the entertainment company committed the “the crime of endangering the life and health” of its concertgoers.

A representative for the watchdog said: “Event organizers will be called to testify, and other steps are underway to investigate the facts.”

But NBC added the investigation is not directly related to the death of Ana.

Time4Fun issued a long statement on their website in Portuguese on Thursday (23.11.23) that said: “The comfort, safety and well-being of our consumers and employees are, always our priorities.

“Regarding the events in Rio de Janeiro, we apologize to the fans who did not have the best possible experience.”

The group added about Ana’s death: “We are absolutely devastated by the loss … despite the prompt care and all the efforts carried out by the medical teams at the event and, later, at the hospital.”

The organizers claimed in their statement this was the “first time in more than 40 years of operation” a death was reported at one of their events.

Their statement added: “We make ourselves available to family members to provide any assistance they may need necessary.”

It added they were allegedly instructed by Ana’s relatives to speak to them via their attorney, saying: “We understand the deep pain of this loss irreparable, we respect the family’s privacy and reinforce T4F’s willingness to collaborate with both the family and the responsible authorities, who are still working to determine the cause of death.”

After Ana’s death, the organizers were slammed for not allowing concertgoers to bring water bottles into the packed stadium despite the extreme heat.

Temperatures during the Nov. 17 concert where she died were reportedly 43.8C, but felt like 59.7C – equivalent to near 140F.

Love concerts, but can't make it to the venue? Stream live shows and events from your couch with VEEPS, a music-first streaming service now operating in Canada. Click here for an introductory offer of 30% off. Explore upcoming concerts and the extensive archive of past performances!