Inquest into fatal Radiohead stage collapse starts today in Toronto

A coroner’s inquest into the fatal stage collapse at a Radiohead concert nearly seven years ago gets underway today in Toronto.

The British band’s drum technician, Scott Johnson, was killed when a massive structure crashed down on him on June 16, 2012 — just hours before Radiohead was set to take the stage at Downsview Park.

Despite a year-long investigation by the Ontario Ministry of Labour and 13 charges being laid, the courts failed to provide answers.

After two trials, all charges were stayed because the matter had taken too long to go through the courts, bitterly disappointing the band and Johnson’s parents.

The ministry report — a summary of a much larger engineering report prepared by provincial engineers after the collapse — outlines numerous issues with the design and execution of the stage structure that was to suspend more than 27,000 kilograms of equipment in the air.

The inquest, which is expected to last three weeks and hear from roughly 25 witnesses, will examine the circumstances surrounding Johnson’s death, but will not assign blame.

A jury may make recommendations aimed at preventing similar incidents.

The victim’s father, Ken Johnson, and Radiohead lead singer Thom Yorke have been highly critical of the judicial process.