OSHA launching investigation into Cirque incident that injured performer

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has launched an investigation into Cirque Du Soleil after a performer was injured during "O" at the Bellagio.

This happened on June 28 during the 9:30 performance.

Representatives for Cirque Du Soleil said an artist that was part of the barge act was injured after diving off the floating barge platform and the show was stopped so the emergency intervention team could take the artist backstage to receive medical care.

Channel 13 reached out to OSHA and received the following statement.

OSHA has up to six months to issue a citation if it finds Cirque at fault for the performer's injury.

While there have been multiple injuries reported over the years, there has only been one fatality in a Las Vegas Cirque production.

That happened on June 29, 2013. A performer was a warrior in one of Ka's scenes. The OSHA report states she was attached to a wire rope and an overhead winch to climb up and down the length of a sand cliff deck. During the performance, the rope snapped causing her to fall 94 feet. She was taken to University Medical Trauma Center where she later died.

She was later identified as Sarah Guyard-Guillot who had been a performer for 22 years and was with Ka since the show originally opened in 2006.

Following that investigation, Nevada OSHA initially issued six citations totaling $25,000 in fines and penalties for Cirque Du Soleil and three citations totaling $7,000 to the MGM Grand. Cirque Du Soleil appealed all of the citations and OSHA withdrew all but one.

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