Stereosonic music festival: Police despair as Sylvia Choi, 25, dies after taking ecstasy
STAFF at Blooms the Chemist were in ‘disbelief’ today as colleagues and loved ones tried to come to terms with the drug death of Sylvia Choi, 25, at Steresonic music festival on Saturday.
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THE employer of Sylvia Choi, the pharmacist who died after collapsing at Stereosonic music festival, has expressed disbelief at her death.
Sylvia Choi, 25, was rushed to hospital after taking ecstasy at the festival at Sydney Olympic Park but later died.
Today Blooms The Chemist, where she worked, issued a statement about her death.
“Blooms The Chemist is saddened by the news that one of our bright, well-respected and highly-professional pharmacists, Ms Sylvia Choi, lost her life at Sydney’s Stereosonic
Music Festival at Sydney Olympic Park on Saturday, November 28, 2015,” Blooms The Chemist’s CEO, Phil Smith said.
“Our tight-knit Blooms The Chemist community has received the news of her passing with disbelief and is struggling to come to terms with the loss of a much-loved member of our team.
“We extend our deepest condolences to Ms Choi’s family and ask the broader community to respect their privacy during this difficult time.
While Ms Choi lost her life, another woman was put in an induced coma, nine revellers were rushed to hospital and another 120 were treated for the effects of drugs.
As police yesterday spoke to friends of Sylvia Choi from Oyster Bay, the commander of the police operation, Assistant Commissioner Frank Mennilli, praised medical staff who saved lives.
“The situation could have been a lot worse if it wasn’t for the outstanding job of the police and medical staff at the event,” Mr Mennilli said.
“There is no such thing as safe drugs. You are playing Russian roulette with your life. You do not know what you are putting in your system.
“These drugs are made by criminals in backyards. It’s like opening a bottle of bleach and swallowing it.”
It is the fifth drug death in just 12 months at a music festival in the state.
It is understood Ms Choi had taken at least one ecstasy tablet and crushed a drug, believed to be MDMA, in a bottle of water which she drank.
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There were reports it took as long as 10 minutes to get Ms Choi off the dance floor to a medical tent after she collapsed about 5pm. She was pronounced dead at Concord Hospital a few hours later.
A 22-year-old British tourist, who was with another group of friends, was last night released from Westmead Hospital after earlier being put in an induced coma due to a bad reaction to drugs.
“It is extremely frustrating,” Mr Mennilli said.
“We have been working hand-in-hand with the organisers, the venues. We put out numerous messages to try to warn people about the effects of drugs, but unfortunately the messages do not get through to some people.”
During the 11-hour event, which attracted a crowd of 48,000, 69 people were charged with drug supply and possession and another 23 given cannabis cautions.
Mr Mennilli said he was deeply disappointed with the number of people risking their lives by taking drugs.
“We warn them about the risk, but people don’t listen,” he said. “People have to be protected from themselves.”
More than 200 police were on duty at the festival, but the organisers paid for only a quarter of them, leaving taxpayers to foot the rest of the bill.
NSW Premier Mike Baird said he was appalled by the latest drug-induced tragedy.
“This madness has to end,” he said. “The idea of going out for a good night out is one thing, but when that night out ends with losing one of your friends you can’t put words on that stupidity. “Everyone has a role to play in this, whether it be government, organisers, friends or parents.”
The concert’s promoters, the Totem Onelove group, posted a brief statement on the Stereosonic Facebook page: “Totem Onelove conveys our deepest condolences to the friends and family of the patron who tragically passed away on Saturday night at Sydney Stereosonic. As it is a matter with the NSW Police and Coroner we cannot make any further statements or comment. We appeal to our audience that they stay safe and look out for each other.”
The Stereosonic tour, headlined by Armin van Buuren, DJ Snake and Major Lazer, has moved to Perth before going on to Adelaide, Melbourne and Brisbane.
Additional reporting Miles Godfrey and Leigh van den Broeke
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