Stage for Madonna show collapses; 1 dead

Stage for Madonna show collapses; 1 dead

MARSEILLE, France — The roof of a stage being built for a Madonna concert in the French port city of Marseille collapsed Thursday, leaving one worker dead and nine injured, city officials said.

The roof at the Stade Velodrome stadium fell apart on top of several workers.

One worker was killed and two of the injured were seriously hurt, said Maurice Di Nocera, Marseille city councilor in charge of major events, said on France-Info radio. The seriously injured were an American and a Briton, said the Marseille central fire department. The killed worker was French. No identities were released.

Di Nocera said the roof had been about two-thirds complete when it collapsed gradually on top of several workers.

Madonna’s “Sticky & Sweet” tour was due to arrive in Marseille on Sunday, but the concert was canceled because “rebuilding a stage, it’s not possible,” Di Nocera said.

Today’s birthdays

TV personality Art Linkletter is 97. Comedian Phyllis Diller is 92. Actor Donald Sutherland is 74. Actress-singer Diahann Carroll is 74. Bassist Geezer Butler of Black Sabbath is 60. Actor David Hasselhoff is 57. Actress Bitty Schram (“Monk”) is 41.