Editorial | Time for all to reflect after Mirror horror

The horror of two dancers hit by a falling video screen during a Mirror concert on Thursday night has not just shocked the community. It has also sent shock waves across the entertainment sector and called into question the safety of a supposedly well-established industry.

Well-wishes for the pair continue to pour in after disturbing footage of the incident went viral on social media. Many looked on in stunned disbelief as the giant panel crashed down during a performance by the dancers, who were on stage with Anson Lo Hon-ting and Edan Lui Cheuk-on at the time. An initial examination showed one of two cables holding the screen had snapped.

One of the dancers, aged 27, suffered neck injuries and was in intensive care, while the other, 29, sustained wounds to his head and was said to be stable.

Hong Kong has decades of experience in hosting concerts and top shows. Yet there are still occasional accidents. Just days ago, Mirror member Frankie Chan Sui-fai fell off the stage, and there was online footage showing singers and dancers performing on some shaky stage installations. Changes were made following intervention by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department.

According to Yeung, the department’s responsibility is seemingly nothing more than ensuring those who use venues have the safety of their sets certified by professionally registered engineers. Whether the parties concerned exercised due diligence is surely a matter for investigation, but a review of the government’s role must not be ruled out. Under the 14th five-year national development plan by the central government, the city is to become a regional arts and cultural hub. The terrifying incident does not square with that mission. At stake are the occupational safety of performers and the development of the entertainment sector as a whole.