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Ultra Music Festival didn't use correct fence in corner where security guard trampled, police chief says

G8 fence could have made difference

MIAMI – Miami's police chief said organizers of the Ultra Music Festival did not use the proper fencing in the area where a security guard was trampled Friday.

Chief Manuel Orosa said the critical injuries Erica Mack suffered could have been avoided if the proper fencing was used.

VOTE: Should Ultra remain in Miami?

"If there would have been G8 fencing there, the most that would have happened is people jumping over the fence and not tearing it down," Orosa said at a news conference Monday afternoon.

The fencing is 8 feet tall, heavy meshed and interlocking used for large, potentially unruly crowds. Organizers of Ultra Music Festival agreed to use the fencing and did, except for one corner, Orosa said.

Orosa revealed that inspectors spotted Ultra's decision to use a chain-link fence in the corner to give vendors easy access and ordered it to be fixed two hours before the event began Friday.

"We told them to fix it and their response was 'OK, we're going to fix it,' and later we found that the fix was a double-chain-link fence, but not the G8 fence, " Orosa said.

The chief said he "took it for granted" that organizers were going to make the fix.

This latest incident has Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado and Commissioner Marc Sarnoff saying they believe the event should not return next year.


About the Authors
Glenna Milberg headshot

Glenna Milberg joined Local 10 News in September 1999 to report on South Florida's top stories and community issues. She also serves as co-host on Local 10's public affairs broadcast, "This Week in South Florida."

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