Ghana Party in the Park festival cancelled: Everything we know after fire leads to ‘stampede’ at London event

Over 20 people needed assistance from medics and several were taken to hospital after a “crushing” incident at a festival in a London park.

Three people were taken to hospital with non life-threatening injuries.

The incident was sparked by a small fire on the site which required the gates to be closed temporarily.

Police said “a crowd built up and surged when the gates were reopened” when the injuries occurred.

Here is everything we know about the incident.

Problems began at the festival when a small fire on the site required the gates of the festival to be closed temporarily, police have revealed.

A Met Police spokesperson said: “Shortly after 18:00hrs on Saturday, 1 August we were alerted to reports of crushing at the entrance to the Ghana Party in the Park event being held at the Copthall Playing Fields in Barnet.

“A small fire on the site, near to the entrance, had required the gates to be closed temporarily. A crowd built up and surged when the gates were reopened.”

Footage shared online from the event showed chaotic scenes with people falling to the ground as the crowd surged.

Staff and members of the public are seen trying to help people to their feet amid the melee.

Three were taken to hospital where their condition was confirmed as non-life threatening.

Footage from the event showed dozens of emergency vehicles, including air ambulances, present at the scene.

A London Ambulance Spokesperson said: “We were called at 6.08pm on Saturday 1 August to reports of an incident in Hendon, NW4.

“We sent multiple resources to the scene, including ambulance crews, paramedics in fast-response cars and an advanced paramedic. We also dispatched our Hazardous Area Response Team and London’s Air Ambulance.

“Working with the on-site medical provider, we treated multiple patients at the scene before conveying three patients to hospital.”

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: “A total of 23 people received some form of assistance either from the emergency services or the event medical team, with nine people assessed by the London Ambulance Service. Three were taken to hospital where their condition was confirmed as non-life threatening.”

Eyewitnesses have told how the incident unfolded.

18-year-old Kieran Turnbull told the Sun: “We saw this stampede coming through the main entrance.

“At the bit where they do the bag and clothing searches everyone was just pushing through,” he said.

“People were being carried out on stretchers. It became very very chaotic.”

The incident led to the early closure of the event.

In a statement on Saturday night, organisers said: “Following the unfortunate incident at today’s event, we wish to provide an update regarding the abrupt closure of Ghana in the Park.

“The decision to close the festival was made solely on the grounds of health and safety.

“Officers from the London Ambulance Service and the London Fire Brigade responded to a major incident on site.

“Following discussions with the emergency services and our health and safety team, it was agreed that closing the festival was the safest option in order to protect all attendees.”

It added: “We would like to clarify that there were no incidents of stabbing and deaths as being speculated. The safety and wellbeing of our attendees, staff, artists, contractors and partners remains our upmost priority.”

Ghana Party in the Park , also known as ShattaFest UK, is an annual outdoor festival in London which has been running since 2005.

The event’s website describes it as a “cultural festival celebrating the very best of Ghanaian music, culture, food, fashion and community”.

It attracts more than 8,000 people, according to the London Assembly website, making it the largest Ghanaian event outside of Ghana.

It was headlined this year by Ghanaian Reggae-Dancehall artist Shatta Wale.