Irish Sunday Mirror

Swift devastated at fan’s concert death

Woman dies as others beg for water in heat

- BY mollie.quirk@reachplc.com

SUPERSTAR singer Taylor Swift has told of her “shattered heart” after learning a fan died waiting for her to perform in Brazil.

Ana Clara Benevides, 23, is understood to have fainted in the crowd and suffered a cardiac arrest in the intense heat and humidity in Rio de Janeiro.

Firefighte­rs said that around 1,000 fans fainted and others needed help as temperatur­es inside the Nilton Santos Olympic Stadium rose to almost 38C.

After hearing about Ana’s death, Taylor said: “It is with a shattered heart that I say we lost a fan earlier tonight before my show. I can’t tell you how devastated I am.

“There’s very little informatio­n I have other than that she was so incredibly beautiful and far too young.

“I’m not going to be able to speak about this from stage because I feel overwhelme­d by grief.

“My broken heart goes out to her family and friends.”

Last night, a video of Ana at the sweltering concert venue hours before

her death was posted on Instagram. In it, she described seeing Taylor as “a dream come true” and revealed she had been at the stadium since 11am to secure a spot near the stage.

Many people attending the Eras Tour gig claimed they had not been allowed to take water into the 70,000-capacity stadium. At one point in her show, Taylor even paused between songs to make sure fans got liquids after hearing them screaming, “Water, water”.

Concert organisers T4F said Ana “regrettabl­y died” after receiving emergency assistance for almost an hour.

Yesterday, a group launched a petition calling for a ‘Benevides Law’ to “make water in events mandatory”. It garnered more than 150,000 signatures in just a few hours, prompting federal authoritie­s to announce that free water would be made available at all future concerts.

Taylor will play her third Rio date tonight before closing the Brazil leg of the tour in São Paulo next weekend.

 ?? MOLLIE QUIRK Ana Benevides ?? COLLAPSE
UNAWARE Star Taylor on Rio stage
MOLLIE QUIRK Ana Benevides COLLAPSE UNAWARE Star Taylor on Rio stage

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