A Spanish performer has been killed after a pyrotechnics accident while on stage at a festival near Madrid.
Singer and dancer Joana Sainz Garcia, 30, was hit in the stomach by a pyrotechnics cartridge in the town of Las Berlanas in the early hours of Sunday morning.
She was on stage with her group the Super Hollywood Orchestra closing the four-day event when the accident happened.
El Diario Montanes reported that after being tended to by paramedics and a doctor who happened to be in the 1,000-strong crowd, an unconscious Joana was taken to hospital where she later died.
A spokesperson for the Spanish emergency services said: “A call was received to report an incident in Las Berlanas, where a pyrotechnic device has exploded on the stage of the orchestra and a woman, belonging to the orchestra, has been injured and is unconscious
“The Civil Guard and medics were alerted.
“She was attended to at the scene before being taken to the Avila Healthcare Complex.”
Eyewitnesses had described the moment that the two rockets were set off, with “one that went in the right direction and the other hit the singer in the abdomen”.
An investigation into the accident has now been launched.
The agency who represent the Super Hollywood Orchestra, where Joana served as the principal dancer and choreographer, paid tribute on Facebook.
Prones 1SL wrote on their page: “The whole Prones family, partners, artists, friends, collaborators are very sad and dismayed by the loss of our companion and friend Joana Sainz, dancer and choreographer of the Super Hollywood Orchestra.
“We sincerely appreciate all the love we are receiving in these hard moments.”