Authorities investigating death of Canadian woman at Belgian music fest

Belgian authorities are investigating the death of a Canadian woman who fell ill at Tomorrowland, one of the world’s largest electronic music festivals, according to event organizers.

The 35-year-old woman “became unwell on the festival grounds” on Friday at the event’s opening night in the town  Boom, about 35 kilometres south of Antwerp,  Tomorrowland spokeswoman Debby Wilmsen said in a statement sent to Global News.

The woman received immediate first aid and was taken to the University Hospital of Antwerp, where she later died.

Expressing condolences for the woman’s family, friends and loved ones, Wilmsen also said the Antwerp Public Prosecutor’s Office is investigating  and will provide updates.

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The Tomorowland festival is held annually in Boom. This year’s event is expected to welcome about 400,000 people over the weekends of July 18-20 and July 25-27.

A huge fire severely damaged the main stage two days before the opening of this year’s festival, casting doubt over whether it would go ahead. But the site opened on time with an alternative stage still under construction. That stage opened to the public just two hours later, organizers said.