Pastor Dies After Wooden Arch Falls At West Sussex Festival
A pastor died from multiple severe injuries after a large wooden arch fell on him at a Christian festival near Steyning, an inquest has heard.
Robert Guanco, 41, who served at Jesus the Living Water Church in Eastbourne, was attending the Big Church Festival on 28 August when the incident happened.
An inquest opening at Woodvale Coroner’s Court in Brighton on Wednesday heard a post-mortem examination had provisionally recorded his cause of death as multiple severe injuries and blunt force trauma.
Six other people were injured, with four taken to hospital for treatment.
Witnesses previously described people rushing to lift the heavy structure, which carried the words “Everything’s Unmissable”, after it was blown over in the wind.
Guanco’s widow, Isaeli, said discovering the truth about what happened could help the family grieve and prevent other families experiencing a similar loss.
She described the sudden death as a huge challenge, saying she had gone from planning their daughter’s birthday party to organising her husband’s funeral.
Area Coroner Joseph Turner offered his condolences to the family and adjourned the inquest until a pre-inquest review on 9 March.
A fundraising page for Isaeli and the couple’s daughter has raised more than £243,000.
Horsham District Council is continuing a health and safety investigation into the incident.
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