Longtime Coachella employee falls more than 60FT to his death while helping to set up festival stage

Longtime Coachella stagehand falls more than 60FT to his death while helping to set up for next week’s music festival – as it is revealed he wasn’t clipped into a safety harness

  • Christopher Griffin, 49, fell approximately 60ft from the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, on early Saturday morning 
  • Authorities responded to the scene at roughly 9.30am but quickly learned that the San Diego resident had died at the scene 
  • Reports indicate that the man was not clipped into a safety harness while working on the stage 
  • Goldenvoice, who puts on the lavish festival, said in a statement that Griffin was ‘hardworking’ 

Christopher Griffin, 49, fell approximately 60ft from the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, on early Saturday morning

A stagehand who had worked with the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival since its inception 20 years ago, tragically fell to his death while he was working on concert grounds. 

Christopher Griffin, 49, fell approximately 60ft from the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, on early Saturday morning. 

Authorities responded to the scene at roughly 9.30am but quickly learned that the San Diego resident had died at the scene, TMZ reports. 

‘Victim fell from a roof and perished at the scene,’ CAL FIRE Riverside said in a tweet

Eyewitnesses said that the man was climbing the stage scaffolding to do some rigging at the time of the accident. 

Reports indicate that the man was not clipped into a safety harness while working on the stage. 

Authorities responded to the scene at roughly 9.30am but quickly learned that the San Diego resident had died at the scene

Authorities responded to the scene at roughly 9.30am but quickly learned that the San Diego resident had died at the scene

Goldenvoice, who puts on the lavish festival, said in a statement that Griffin was 'hardworking'

Goldenvoice, who puts on the lavish festival, said in a statement that Griffin was ‘hardworking’

Goldenvoice, who puts on the lavish festival, said in a statement: ‘Today, Goldenvoice lost a colleague, a friend, a family member. Our friend fell while working on a festival stage. 

‘It is with heavy hearts and tremendous difficulty that we confirm his passing. He has been with our team for 20 years in the desert and was doing what he loved. 

He was a hard-working and loving person that cared deeply about his team. As our lead rigger, he was responsible for the countless incredible shows that have been put on at the festival. We will miss him dearly.’ 

Reports indicate that the man was not clipped into a safety harness while working on the stage

Reports indicate that the man was not clipped into a safety harness while working on the stage

Coachella has just recently seen an increase in accidents and fatal incidents. 

The first reported casualty associated with the festival – that was first launched in 1999 – was the 2013 death of a 59-year-old security guard who was struck by a vehicle on his way to the grounds, according to the Desert Sun. 

The epic festival begins next week on Friday. 



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