September 9, 2025
Just 48 hours before Tomorrowland was set to welcome over 400,000 electronic music fans, its iconic Mainstage was reduced to ashes. Billowing black smoke over Boom, Belgium, served as a stark reminder to the insurance industry: the magic of festivals rests on fragile foundations.
The scene brought back memories of a similar incident in 2017, when the UNITE-Tomorrowland stage in Barcelona caught fire, forcing the evacuation of 22,000 attendees in under three minutes.
Separated by eight years, both events offer more than dramatic visuals — they prompt a serious reflection on risk management, prevention and resilience in large-scale temporary events.
Summer: high season for risk
Summer is synonymous with festivals, concerts and outdoor gatherings — but it also brings improvisation, tight schedules, and limited foresight. Large-scale festivals depend on temporary infrastructure, often built under pressure and with little room for error — a perfect storm for incidents like the one at Tomorrowland.
Behind the scenes, the reality is complex:
- First-time builds with no prior testing.
- Compressed timelines that lead to shortcuts, sometimes compromising safety.
- Technical teams working in close quarters without proper coordination.
- Incomplete installations overlapping with last-minute rehearsals and adjustments.
- Safety protocols relaxed due to time constraints.
This combination creates fertile ground for fires, structural failures, human error or unforeseen natural events.
Anatomy of a foreseeable fire: what went wrong at Tomorrowland
Initial investigations suggest a technical fault during lighting and pyrotechnic tests. Flames rapidly engulfed over 30 metres of polystyrene set pieces, thousands of LED panels, and sound equipment valued at €7 million.
The silver lining: no injuries were reported. The evacuation of 1,000 workers was executed swiftly and efficiently, thanks to a well-rehearsed emergency plan.
The Tomorrowland fire might have been accidental, but it drives home the same message: resilience can’t be theoretical. Response protocols need to be rehearsed, routes tested and staff trained. When a crisis hits, it’s too late to be writing a plan — you need one that’s already lived, understood and ready to deploy.
When every second counts: the importance of preparedness
In an emergency, every second matters. At Tomorrowland, priorities were clear: protect lives, contain the fire and minimise losses. Having a protocol is vital — but knowing how to apply it is even more so. Teams must be clear on:
- Who to contact.
- What actions to take.
- How to shut off supplies.
- The safest evacuation routes.
Coordination with fire services and security forces was critical. While they lead the response, a trained internal team can make a decisive difference — and sometimes even prevent the need for external intervention.
Events like Tomorrowland are a reminder that no production operates in a vacuum. At Sedgwick, we’re increasingly coordinating cross-border losses — with teams in the UK, Spain and across EMEA and the Far East working together on complex claims for festivals, films and live events.
Whether it’s a multi-stage build or a three-camera shoot, understanding the production context and the insurance structure is essential. In reality, the show only goes on when the response is aligned, credible and fast.
Crisis management: beyond the flames
The impact of a disaster extends beyond financial loss. For recurring events, reputational damage can be harder to recover from than a cancellation.
Tomorrowland responded swiftly, thanks to three strategic decisions:
- Alternative stage: Within 48 hours, a modular Mainstage was constructed, preserving the festival experience despite the loss of the original set design.
- Operational split: If the new stage wasn’t ready by Friday, headline DJs would perform in DreamVille, a separate area of the site. This “Plan B” would have ensured a positive experience for attendees regardless.
- Insurance cover: Property and event cancellation policies absorbed direct costs (rented equipment, set design, ticket revenue) and mitigation expenses.
Insurance lessons that must not be forgotten
Insurers are asking tougher questions now — rightly so. In the UK, there’s growing scrutiny around risk documentation: method statements, rehearsal schedules, inspection records, even drone footage of rigging or fireproofing. The gap between what’s written in a risk assessment and what actually happens on-site can be the difference between a swift settlement and a prolonged coverage dispute. If protocols exist on paper but aren’t followed in practice, expect questions — and delays.
These incidents underscore a fundamental truth: no matter how thorough the planning, not everything can be prevented. That’s why having the right insurance is not optional — it’s strategic.
Key takeaways:
- Risk assessments are legally required and essential for safety. They must be tailored to the event and go beyond standard evaluations.
- Preventive measures identified during the assessment must be implemented — both to meet regulatory requirements and satisfy insurers.
- A comprehensive emergency protocol must be in place — and more importantly, all staff (especially team leaders) must understand it and know who to contact in the event of an incident.
Every incident should be analysed to determine its root cause and to implement measures that prevent recurrence.
The role of insurance: softening the blow
Having insurance in place is one thing; getting it to respond under pressure is another. We’ve handled major claims where everything from ignition timelines to the comparability of replacement kit was challenged. Business continuity doesn’t just rely on having a Plan B, it depends on being able to justify the spend, show your workings, and evidence that your mitigation was proportionate, necessary, and covered. That’s where experienced adjusters and coordinated broker support come into their own — especially when coordination spans multiple borders.
Even with robust precautions, some incidents are unavoidable. That’s why, from an insurance perspective, thorough risk analysis and comprehensive cover are essential — not only for material damage, but also for loss of income, event cancellation and liability.
Risk management culture: the cornerstone of business continuity
Tomorrowland’s experience shows that a genuine risk management culture goes beyond written protocols — it must be embedded in daily operations. Anticipation, rehearsals, staff training, and coordination with emergency services were key to avoiding casualties and containing damage.
The UK is also entering a new regulatory era. With Martyn’s Law set to come into force, event organisers will face a statutory duty to embed counterterrorism and major incident planning into every stage of their operations. This goes way beyond fire drills; it’s about having credible, dynamic response plans for a range of threats, from accidental incidents to deliberate attacks.
This proves that risk planning must be lived, not just documented. Teams must be trained, drilled and confident in their response — because when every second counts, agility is everything.
Business continuity doesn’t hinge on goodwill or improvisation, it depends on deliberate preparation, including operational alternatives and appropriate insurance cover. The rapid setup of an alternative stage, combined with a pre-planned logistical and artistic Plan B, ensured the festival could continue and the audience experience was preserved.
This proactive approach, supported by policies covering everything from material damage to lost revenue, shows that while prevention helps reduce impact, only anticipation with concrete solutions guarantees that the show can go on.
