16 Hospitalized For Overdose At Cow Palace Rave
DALY CITY (CBS/BCN) -- At least 16 people were hospitalized, two in critical condition, after attending a music event Friday night at Daly City's Cow Palace.
According to North County Fire Authority battalion chief, Tony Maffei, all the victims were being treated for drug and alcohol-related overdoses. Emergency responders from as far away as Alameda County were called in to assist with the injuries.
The event, CBS-owned radio station Live 105's "Subsonic Spookfest," headlined numerous electronic music artists and was open to partygoers ages 16 and older, according to the Cow Palace events listing.
Daly City police had not released any information by mid-Saturday afternoon. No one answered the phone at Live 105 or the Cow Palace.
This is the second time this year that a music event at the Cow Palace has ended in drug-related illnesses.
Five months ago to the day, nine victims were hospitalized following the "etd.POP 2010" music festival on May 29. Two of those patients eventually died as a result of their injuries.
Police suspected those illnesses were caused by overdoses of the drug MDMA, more commonly known as Ecstasy.
That incident sparked debate among county officials and police as to whether or not institute a ban on raves at the Cow Palace.
Saturday, State Sen. Leland Yee blasted what he called a lack of law enforcement and emergency personnel at the Cow Palace.
Yee said the venue, which is owned by the state Department of Food and Agriculture, failed to provide an adequate level of security at events.
A call to a spokesman for the agriculture department was not returned.
(© 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Bay City News contributed to this report)
