Rust
Were there massive safety deficiencies on the set?
Police and security forces examine the crime scene on the set of “Rust” in Santa Fe, Mexico.
© ANNE LEBRETON / AFP via Getty Images
Could the tragedy on the “Rust” set have been prevented? One report suggests that there were safety issues leading up to the accident.
The allegations are getting louder and more massive: As the “Los Angeles Times” reports, there were massive safety deficiencies on the set of the film “Rust” even before the tragic accident. A total of six cameramen and assistants left the set a few hours before the fatal shot in protest against the working conditions.
One of the reasons for the strike was that security logs, including those of weapons inspections, were not properly kept. At least one of these cameramen complained to a production manager last week that the safety of the weapons on set was not guaranteed.
According to the report, there have already been two accidental discharges of prop weapons. A stunt double from Alec Baldwin (63) accidentally fired two sharp shots, although he had previously been told that the gun was “cold”. This means that the weapon does not actually contain any charge, not even blank cartridges.
Production company announces internal investigation
A film crew member also confirmed to the Los Angeles Times that this incident had not been investigated further. “There was also no assurance that something like this would not happen again,” it said. There was also an SMS to production management in which the incidents were addressed. The production company responded to the allegations to the newspaper: Internal investigations will be initiated, but no concrete information has been received. Work on “Rust” has been suspended until further notice.
In the tragedy on Thursday afternoon in Santa Fe, Mexico, a gun in the hand of leading actor Baldwin was fired, which killed the camerawoman Halyna Hutchins. The director Joel Souza (48) was also hit, but has since left the clinic.