The company that owns the stage that collapsed under strong winds at Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest Sunday has dealt with a similar mishap two years ago.
That's when a much smaller stage owned by the company collapsed in Quebec City. The company was cleared of any wrongdoing.
However, Groupe Berger, the Montreal-based company that supplied the stage for Bluesfest, insists the stage erected in Ottawa was safe, and the collapse over the weekend was a freak accident caused by extreme weather.
"I can ensure you that the stage was safe . . . and many engineers can ensure you the stage was safe," said vice president Stephan Berger.
He says the structure is made to withstand wind gusts up to 120 kilometres per hour, and winds at the site must have been higher than that for the stage to collapse.
The stage fell within seconds when fierce winds blew through Lebreton Flats Sunday night. Three people were injured.
Reports at Ottawa's International Airport in the city's south end recorded wind speeds of 96 kilometres per hour on Sunday.
However, Berger argues the winds at Lebreton Flats, located along the Ottawa River, had to be higher than that for the stage to collapse.
"The technicians started opening up the wind walls at 45 kilometres per hour and 30 seconds to one minute later the wind was up to 140, so it was too quick for the human to react to it," Berger told CTV Ottawa on Tuesday.
It's unclear how the company knows how fast the wind was blowing. There is a measuring device that used to be on top of the stage, but it's now in the rubble.
Environment Canada issued a weather warning about 45 minutes before the storm hit, cautioning it could bring strong winds up to 140 kilometres per hour.
Ontario's Ministry of Labour is continuing their investigation into the incident.
Crews started dismantling the stage on Tuesday. Westbound lanes of the Ottawa River Parkway will remain closed between Booth Street and Bayview Street until the stage is removed. Eastbound lanes have been reduced to one lane to accommodate westbound traffic.
With a report from CTV Ottawa's Karen Soloman
