After a tragic incident that occurred last year during preparations for Orlando's Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC), two production companies are facing citations from the U.S. Department of Labor. Misael Aguirre, a 33-year-old stagehand from Texas, lost his life in October 2024 when part of the stage structure collapsed. According to FOX 35 Orlando , Aguirre was killed after a piece of scaffolding fell on him, later leading to an investigation by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

The festival, near downtown Orlando, was underway with setup at Camping World Stadium when the accident occurred. Initially believed to be non-life-threatening, the injuries Aguirre sustained were more serious than those around him realized. The Medical Examiner determined that he died from blunt impact injuries, ruling the death accidental. The investigation by Orlando police also concluded the same, leading to no charges being filed.

Orlando Weekly reported that James Thomas Productions, Aguirre's employer and a repeat offender based out of California, has agreed to pay nearly $20,000 in penalties to settle the alleged safety violations. Meanwhile, Stage FX, the other cited company, has contested the citation issued by OSHA.

The details surrounding the nature of the employee's death have not been widely shared, though the Florida AFL-CIO cites workplace hazards as being responsible for roughly 140,000 worker deaths annually. Transport accidents are reportedly the leading cause of worker fatalities in Florida, with falls and similar accidents responsible for about 22 percent of workplace deaths in 2023. When large stage setups are involved, OSHA can levy fines up to $16,550 for each serious violation. Yet, the AFL-CIO noted that the average penalty for a serious violation in 2024 was a mere $4,083, with the median penalty for a worker's death on the job last year settling at just $16,131.

The EDC festival will return to Orlando's Tinker Field this November, bringing back its mix of electronic music and colorful art. But so will the memory of last year's tragic incident.