HOUSTON - A Houston attorney representing the family of Axel Acosta and more than 150 victims injured in the Astroworld tragedy has released the Houston Fire Department logs from the tragic day.
The handwritten, internal records paint a disturbing and chaotic scene at NRG Park, with shocking events that began Friday morning, before the gates were even opened.
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"These logs demonstrate that as early as 10 a.m. in the morning, security had lost control of the crowd," said Attorney Tony Buzbee, who plans to file suit on Monday morning seeking more than $500 million for his clients. "Things got progressively worse as the day progressed. The organizers, promoters, security, medical staff, and performers had ample opportunity—literally hours of notice—to cancel the concert before anyone was injured. This is criminal."
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According to the logs released by Buzbee, by 9:30 a.m. people had breached gates and security checkpoints and four people needed medical attention.
By 10:30 a.m., venue fences had been damaged, merchandising lines had been breached and the log reads "no control of participants" and later "no control of merchandise."
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Within two hours, there are multiple records of groups jumping or going under fences, people storming entrances, rushing and breaking gates and dismantling barriers.
"Paradox [sic] reports 54 patients treated since beginning of event," the log reads at 3:45 p.m.
The day continues with reports of hundreds rushing gates, people knocking down fences, patients transported and "dangerous crowd conditions."
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Travis Scott hit the stage just after 9 p.m. following a countdown clock that pulled tens of thousands of people closer to the stage. By this point, Houston Police had indicated that there were approximately 55,000 people at the show, according to a log at 9:02 p.m.
In those first minutes when Scott is on stage, 200 people breached a fence and a barricade was compromised around Stage 2.
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By 9:18 p.m. there is a report of an individual "with crush injury / breathing difficulty."
Just 10 minutes later the log reads: "'This is when it all got real.'"
Here are some of the following logs that show the medical emergency occuring in the crowd starting at 9:30 p.m.:
- 2130 - HPD reports multiple people trampled, passed out at front of stage, security is removing to rear of stage.
- 2132 - HPD report of unconscious female in middle of crowd.
- 2133 - Report of multiple persons down in the crowd.
- 2135 - HFD radio operator advised we have at least 5 9-1-1 calls related to unconcious persons in crowd. Report of possible CPR.
By 9:52 p.m., Incident Command requested level 1 mass casualty incident and less than 30 minutes later requested a level 2 mass casualty incident.
Several ambulances arrived on scene to handle the overwhelming medical need.
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Toward the end of the HFD logs, they recorded cardiac arrests. They reported two people were transported to Ben Taub, two to Memorial Hermann, one to Methodist, and another to Park Plaza. Five are unknown transports.
The last entry reports "17 total transports, 11 CPR - 9 total fatalities, 1 critical, 2 admissions."
The number of deaths the night of the festival was actually eight, but a ninth person, Bharti Shahani, 22, died five days later from injuries she sufffered at Astroworld.
The Houston Fire Department has not responded publicly to the release of their logs by Buzbee.
READ THE FULL HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT'S ACTIVITY LOGS OF ASTROWORLD BELOW