Taylor Swift has postponed her Rio de Janeiro show just hours before taking to the stage after a fan, 23, died of cardiac arrest inside the sweltering stadium.
The songstress posted a heartfelt message after already having arrived at Nilton Santos Olympic Stadium in preparation for the event.
In a handwritten note, she explained the risks were too high for the show to go on and explained her decision to her biggest supporters.
‘I’m writing this from my dressing room in the stadium. The decision has been made to postpone tonight’s show due to extreme temperatures in Rio,’ she wrote in a note shared to Instagram.
‘The safety and well-being of my fans, fellow performers, and crew has to and always will come first.’
Just a day ago Ana Clara Benevides fainted while at the show and later died after suffering a suspected cardiac arrest.
Taylor Swift has postponed her show just hours before taking the stage in Rio de Janeiro due to ‘extreme temperatures’ just a day after a fan, 23, died of cardiac arrest in the sweltering stadium
Prior to the shock news, firefighters were seen spraying fans with water as they waited for doors to open for Saturday’s show.
The region is experiencing a record-breaking heat wave, according to the Weather Channel, with a daily high of around 103 degrees Fahrenheit, but with a heat index that makes it feel like 125.
In another video to social media throngs of Swifties were seen packed into the stadium as staff handed out water to the crowd battling the heat.
Taylor postponed the show as temperatures crept towards the hundreds and is expected to perform on Monday, T4F says.
Earlier, concert organizers announced sweeping changes for the final Rio shows over the weekend after Benevides death.
Furious Taylor Swift fans took aim at entertainment company, Time For Fun (T4F) for banning concert-goers from taking water into the sweltering venue on Friday.
Swifties held T4F ‘responsible’ for the 23-year-old’s death and posting their vitriol to social media.
Firefighters were seen spraying fans with water ahead of Saturday’s show
Fans of singer Taylor Swift suffer from high temperatures as they waited for Saturday’s show
Extra precautions were taken to ensure the safety of fans attending the now cancelled performance
‘You are responsible for this! They ban water just for the profit in their pockets!’ one fan lamented.
‘Water is essential to life, and in addition to prohibiting it, they also closed the air intakes for ‘better acoustics’.
‘They basically cooked people alive inside the stadium because you don’t want to pay for the minimum comfort for fans who already pay a lot for a ticket. Murderers!’
T4F, who is a Brazilian entertainment company described as the third largest live entertainment company in Latin America and one of the largest in the world, broke their silence on Saturday.
It came after social media users cast aspersions on the company blaming them for the tragedy and horror conditions.
The region is experiencing a record-breaking heat wave, according to the Weather Channel
A daily high of around 103 degrees Fahrenheit has been recorded with a heat index that makes it feel like 125
Earlier, concert organizers announced sweeping changes for the final Rio shows over the weekend after Benevides death and fans were seen doused in water as they waited in line
Taylor postponed the show as temperatures crept towards the hundreds and is expected to perform on Monday
‘It’s with great sadness that we inform you about the death of Ana Clara Benevides Machado aged 23,’ they wrote.
‘Yesterday night, Ana Clara felt unwell and was assisted by a team of emergency workers and paramedics, being taken to a medical center at Nilton Santos Olympic Stadium so the first aid protocol could be applied.
‘Given the situation, the medical team opted to transfer her to Salgado Filho Hospital. After nearly an hour of emergency assistance, she regrettably died.
‘We send our most sincere condolences to the family and friends of Ana Clara Benevides.’
Following demands for clarity on measures being put in place following the tragedy T4F posted another update announcing an action plan.
Taylor Swift concert organizers have announced sweeping changes for the final Rio shows over the weekend after a fan died and the company was accused of having blood on their hands
Ana Clara Benevides, 23, died of suspected cardiac arrest in hospital after she was treated on-site by medical staff
Furious Taylor Swift fans took aim at entertainment company, Time For Fun (T4F) for banning concert-goers from taking water into the sweltering venue
‘Given the forecast of an increase in the heat wave in the city of Rio de Janeiro, we inform you that we are reinforcing the special action plan carried out for the first day of the show, especially the provision of free water in the queues and at all accesses and entrances to the stadium and inside,’ they wrote.
‘New free water distribution points will be available to the public during the event.
‘Entry to the stadium with sealed glasses of water and sealed processed food will also be permitted, with no limitation on items per person.’
After heated exchanges online, T4F clarified in their post that the requirement of ‘sealed items follows safety recommendations.’
‘We also emphasize that the prohibition of bottles of water entering stadiums is a requirement made by public bodies and that we do not sell drinks and food, this being a responsibility of the stadium administration,’ they added.
Videos of people fanning themselves in line, under umbrellas and pounding down water inside the venue began to surface on Saturday after fans battled blistering heat and dehydration
Swifties held T4F ‘responsible’ for the 23-year-old’s death and posting their vitriol to social media
The entertainment company said that service staff would also be reinforced with 200 extra employees in addition to the 1,230 already working the event.
‘In addition, the medical care structure was reinforced, totaling 8 available medical stations, 8 ambulances and 8 mobile ICUs,’ they finished.
But despite the measures, a post from Taylor said the show is to be postponed.
Videos of people fanning themselves in line, under umbrellas and pounding down water inside the venue began to surface on Saturday after fans battled blistering heat and dehydration.
Taylor, who was visibly hot on-stage and even went as far as to pause her performance midway to make sure fans got liquids after she heard them screaming ‘water, water’ in distressing scenes between a break in songs.
Ana Clara Benevides fainted while at the show and is believed to have suffered cardiac arrest. Despite efforts from doctors on site, Benevides was subsequently taken to hospital where she died
Distressed by Benevides senseless death, Swiftie’s started a change.org petition which as of midday Saturday had seen 153,224 signatures to provide free water at events
Distressed by Benevides senseless death, Swiftie’s started a change.org petition which as of midday Saturday had seen 153,224 signatures to provide free water at events.
‘Brazil suffered an irreparable loss of young Ana Benevides at a show in the State of Rio de Janeiro,’ the description of the petition read.
‘According to information from third parties, the young woman’s death occurred due to extreme heat, in which the thermal sensation reached 60° Celsius (140 F).
‘In one of the most anticipated events of this year, we saw a fatality happen before our eyes due to pure negligence.
‘Consumers in Brazil are exhausted from being disrespected by millionaire companies that do not care about the consumer.’
After heated exchanges online, T4F clarified in their post that the requirement of ‘sealed items follows safety recommendations.’
Taylor, who was visibly hot on-stage and even went as far as to pause her performance midway to make sure fans got liquids after she heard them screaming ‘water, water’ in distressing scenes between a break in songs
The petition demanded free water and slammed organizers and the role fans believe they played in the death.
‘That said, here I start the campaign for the Ana Benevides Law, a law that will guarantee free distribution at events,’ it read.
‘The events sector feels embarrassed by the lack of responsibility of the company responsible for today’s event and would like to see change so that such a fatality does not occur again!’
Earlier, Taylor broke her silence remembering the fan as an ‘incredibly beautiful’ person.
‘I can’t believe I’m writing these words but it is with a shattered heart that I say we lost a fan earlier tonight before my show,’ she wrote.
Benevides studies at UFMT Rondonópolis according to her Facebook
Taylor Swift broke her silence after Benevides died remembering her as an ‘incredibly beautiful’ person
‘I can’t even tell you how devastated I am by this. There’s very little information I have other than the fact that she was so incredibly beautiful and far too young.’
Swift offered candor in her statement revealing that she was ‘not going to be able to speak about this from stage’ because she is ‘overwhelmed by grief.’
‘I want to say now I feel this loss deeply and my broken heart goes out to her family and friends,’ she added.
‘This is the last thing I ever thought would happen when we decided to bring this tour to Brazil.’