Brixton Academy fatal crush: Minister to seek answers over wider issues

Rebecca Ikumelo, 33, and Gaby Hutchinson, 23, were injured in the crush and died in hospital

A government minister says she will look "very carefully" at whether a fatal crush at a concert at the Brixton O2 Academy highlights wider issues.

Two people died and a woman remains seriously ill in hospital after the crowd surge outside the venue during a gig by singer Asake on 15 December.

Labour MP for Vauxhall Florence Eshalomi urged ministers in the Commons to ensure lessons were learned.

Culture minister Julia Lopez says she will look at whether action is needed.

The two people who died were named as nursing graduate Rebecca Ikumelo, 33, from Newham, east London, who was a mother of two children; and Gaby Hutchinson, 23, from Gravesend in Kent, who was a security contractor working at the venue.

London Ambulance Service treated 10 patients at the scene, eight of whom were transferred to hospital.

In the days and weeks following the crush, concerns were raised over the strength of the venue doors and staffing levels, including whether there was enough medical cover.

The medical cover provider recently confirmed only five people were working when the crush happened and no paramedics or nurses were present. Industry guidelines suggest there should have been medical cover of at least 10 people, including a paramedic and a nurse.

Shortly after the crush, the council suspended the Brixton O2 Academy's licence and Lambeth council ruled the venue should not reopen until 16 April at the earliest.

• I thought I was going die - Brixton crush victim

• What happened at the Brixton Academy crush?

Ms Lopez said: "I'm asking for this to be looked into because I appreciate [Ms Eshalomi] has highlighted things that she thinks are gaps in the system.

"She knows the Met are also investigating this and I'll look very carefully at whether it highlights issues that the government needs to look at itself."

The venue operator, Academy Music Group (AMG), has previously commented that is is unable to respond to specific questions, citing the police investigation into what happened.

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