Yesterday, officials confirmed that Olivier Rochette, technician for Cirque du Soleil's Luzia and the son of Gillles Ste-Croix, one of the founders of Cirque, passed away on Tuesday night in San Francisco, according to CBS News. Rochette, of Quebec, Canada, was hit in the head by an aerial lift. He was 42 years old.
In a statement that Cirque released yesterday, Daniel Lamarre, CEO of Cirque du Soleil, said, "Olivier has always been a member of our tight family and a truly beloved colleague."
— Cirque du Soleil (@Cirque) November 30, 2016
San Francisco Police Department Traffic Collision Investigation Unit and Cal/OSHA, California's workplace safety regulator, are currently investigating the tragic accident. This is the third death related to Cirque du Soleil since 2009, according to NBC Bay Area.
The show, held at AT&T park, was canceled both Tuesday and Wednesday.
This is a picture of the @Cirque technician killed in the pre-show set-up for #Luzia #SF last night, Olivier Rochette (courtesy:Facebook). pic.twitter.com/PcVtYIohWk
— Stephanie Chuang (@StephChuang) November 30, 2016