A spokesperson for Venues NSW, which operates the stadium, told the Sydney Morning Herald and Britain’s PA news agency that the fall occurred as fans were beginning to leave the concert. “Rather than use stairs, the woman attempted to step over seating rows. She lost her footing and fell,” the spokesperson said. “This is a terribly sad incident, and our thoughts and wishes are with the patron and their family during this time.”
A NSW Ambulance spokesperson told the newspaper that paramedics were called to the scene and treated the woman for injuries to her face, head and neck before she was taken to hospital “in a critical condition.”
British star Williams, who rose to fame as a member of boyband “Take That,” has not publicly commented on the incident. His management team did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.
Following the Sydney show, the 49-year-old singer described the evening as “unforgettable,” writing in a tweet “I love you Australia.” Williams is currently on his Australian XXV tour, celebrating 25 years as a solo artist.
An estimated 40,000 fans attended Williams’ show in Sydney on Thursday, according to Australian news outlets.
The death in Sydney comes after a woman died Friday after a Taylor Swift show in Rio de Janeiro amid sweltering temperatures, The Washington Post reported last week. The fan suffered a cardiorespiratory arrest, according to a statement from the Brazil’s Ministry of Culture.
The record heat forced the star to cancel her next performance, citing concerns for safety of her crew and fans. Concertgoers had pleaded for water during the three-hour show, which attendees described as “chaotic” amid the dangerous heat wave, which brought Rio de Janeiro a heat index — which measures temperature and humidity — of 138 degrees Fahrenheit on Friday, the highest ever recorded for the area.
“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,” Swift wrote in an Instagram tribute to 23-year-old Ana Clara Benevides Machado. “I can’t even tell you how devastated I am by this,” Swift said.
Samantha Chery and Terrence McCoy contributed to this report.
