Cirque du Soleil and MGM Grand have been fined for the death of Sarah Guillot-Guyard, who was a performer for the circus troupe’s popular Ka show.
The Nevada Occupational Safety and Health Administration has finished its investigation into her death on June 29, when she fell over 90 feet to the ground. According to The Las Vegas Sun, the OSHA determined that the 31-year-old’s wire broke during the final scene in Ka. She was rushed to the University Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead due to multiple blunt force trauma.
The OSHA said in Tuesday’s statement that the wire “was severed due to the rapid ascent of the performer, ultimately causing the rope to be freed from the sheave/pulley and scraping against a shear point.”
Guillot-Guyard was a veteran of the popular show, which opened in 2004. She was also the mother of two young children. Her death was the first in Cirque’s 29-year history.
Cirque was issued six citations and a fine of $25,235, while MGM Grand received three and a $7,000 fine. The report cited Cirque’s failure to “provide proper training for the ‘Ka’ Battle Spearman Warrior employee involved in the accident in the use of equipment and tasks used in the ‘Ka’ Show battle scene” and noted that Cirque took apart equipment before the OSHA’s investigation began.
Both Cirque and MGM Grand plan on appealing the findings.
The Ka show reopened 17 days after the accident, with a new scene placed at the end.
image: Wikimedia Commons
