Two men aged 26 and 21 have died after attending the Knockout Outdoor music festival in Olympic Park in Western Sydney.
Paramedics tried to resuscitate the 26-year-old man outside the venue on Sydney Olympic Boulevard, but he was pronounced dead after being transported to Concord Hospital.
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In a separate incident, a 21-year-old man was treated by paramedics at a Sydney CBD hotel before succumbing to his condition after being transferred to a hospital.
While speculation about illicit drug use surrounds these deaths, the authorities are awaiting autopsy reports to determine the exact cause.
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Detective Superintendent Simon Glasser said: “This shows that people can die at music festivals.”
“We look at all avenues. Anything could have happened,” he said.
Last week, NSW Health issued a warning about high-dose ecstasy tablets, cautioning about their harmful effects.
However, Premier Chris Minns also noted that previous festival-related deaths had been linked to extreme heat and a lack of hydration.
Aside from the two fatalities, nine other individuals were hospitalised from the Knockout Outdoor festival, and one from the Listen Out music festival at Centennial Park.
The Knockout Outdoor Festival attracted a crowd of approximately 27,500 attendees, while Listen Out saw around 53,000 festival-goers.
“It’s horrible. These events are events to go and enjoy some music and have a lot of fun with mates, so it’s tragic people have lost their lives.”
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