Danish Roskilde festival marks 10th anniversary of death victims

Danish rock festival remembers accident victims

COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Denmark’s largest rock festival has started with a commemoration of nine people who died at the Roskilde venue 10 years ago when they were crushed against an outdoor stage.

American singer Patti Smith headed Thursday’s brief memorial at the opening of the four-day event.

The rock icon threw nine roses on the audience after band member Lenny Kaye read the victims’ names.

Nine people died and 43 were injured on June 30, 2000, when crowds numbering some 50,000 pushed forward during a Pearl Jam gig.

A probe found that “a chain of unfortunate circumstances” led to the deaths after a poor sound system prompted fans to surge toward the stage to hear better.