AUSTIN, Texas — Three people were taken to the hospital after a fire at an Austin High School Halloween-themed concert on Saturday evening.
According to Austin-Travis County EMS, three adults were injured when fuel tanks reportedly caught fire around 5 p.m.
Two victims were transported by ATCEMS to Dell Seton Medical Center – one with serious, potentially life-threatening injuries and the other with minor injuries. The third victim was airlifted by STAR Flight to Dell Seton Medical Center with serious injuries.
The Austin Fire Department said the cause of the fire was an accidental flash fire from gasoline and shared a photo of a burned generator and gas tank on X, formerly known as Twitter.
AFD said the incident happened when a gasoline tank got too close to a grill while it was being refueled.
The incident happened during the high school’s Monster Concert and Carnival, which includes performances by the orchestras from all Austin High School feeder schools. According to the Austin ISD website, the event includes music, games, contests, food and beverages and a haunted house.
Joy Lobb is the president for the orchestra's booster club, which helps support the musicians.
"It's basically to support the orchestra teacher, Ms. Solis, in providing a great program for the kids. There is never enough money from the district to do all the things that she wants to do," said Lobb.
Now, the community's launched a GoFundMe for her family, already raising tens of thousands of dollars to help during recovery.
"I'm just saddened that this is the reason why she gets to see the wide support network that she has that we maybe didn't know about or didn't think about," said Lobb. "They're just one big family. You know, when you're in high school, you're looking for that place to belong. And the orchestra kids are like that."
The event ended early due to the fire, AFD said. Because Saturday's event was cut short, The Austin High Orchestra plans to host a "make-up" concert on Nov. 7th to perform the songs Director Ana Marie Solis-Hererra prepared for the Monster Concert. The concert will happen at Austin ISD's Performing Arts Center on Barbara Jordan Boulevard.