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Scaffolding at Oscar venue collapses The Associated Press LOS ANGELES — The Academy Awards ceremony will go on as planned Sunday despite a scaffolding collapse that sent five workers to the hospital, Oscar officials said. Scaffolding erected along the red carpet outside the Shrine Auditorium for coverage of the Oscars collapsed in a wave Thursday afternoon. Most of the mangled metal fell just behind bleachers that were set up for fans and media to view the procession of arriving celebrities before the ceremony. A portion also tumbled onto a tent over the red carpet that will be used by the celebrities as they enter the auditorium. The cause of the accident was not immediately known. ``Everybody just started screaming, saying 'Watch out!' 'Watch out!''' said Harvest Smith, an Oscar production worker who witnessed the crash. ``The left side fell first, and then the right side,'' Smith said. The structure stood about 40 feet wide, 120 feet long and was about 20 feet tall. One of the workers on top of the scaffolding was reported to be in serious but stable condition. Four others received minor injuries. The aluminum scaffolding, commonly used to hold lights and cameras, was draped with cloth and was to be used to shield reporters and celebrities at the ceremony from the late afternoon sun, city fire spokesman Richard Andrade said. Academy spokesman John Pavlik said his organization had not decided whether to provide another screen, but that the event would go on as planned. Two of the victims were on top of the scaffolding when the collapse occurred, two were behind the bleachers and one was on the bleachers. More headlines
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