Stage collapses at Children's Hospital

Heavy winds and torrential rains caused a stage set up for the formal opening of the Children's Hospital, in Couva to collapse.
There were no immediate reports of any injuries and the function was cancelled about an hour before its scheduled start.
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar was among a host of dignitaries scheduled to attend the event.
Witnesses said around 2.10 pm, before the Prime Minister arrived, the rain began to fall heavily.
Gusty winds began pounding the southern side of the facility.
“People started to move from the back of the stage to the front so they won’t get wet. There is an exit ramp from the front of the stage but people started to run when pieces of metal started to fall. The tarpaulin that was used to make a roof over the stage collapsed,” an eyewitness said.
Over 45 children were invited to the event and they were the first to be evacuated.
“The stage was immediately cleared. Patrons made a 20 feet dash from the stage to the hospital building. When the canopy started to crash down, people started to run,” the witness said. Most ran up the ramp and exited to the back. Personnel immediately mobilised shuttles to bring the children to the covered area.
Contacted yesterday, Maurisa Findlay, communications manager from the Housing Development Corporation, said the function was postponed as the Persad-Bissessar said she will no longer be attending.
Findlay said they will reschedule the opening for a later date.