August 15, 2001
Ten fans of pop singer Aaron Carter who attended his Delaware concert on the deck of the Kahunaville Club, located on Wilmington's riverfront, were sent to area hospitals after being overcome by the extreme heat on Wednesday night (August 8).
Ambulances and paramedics arrived on the scene to assist people complaining of cramping, shortness of breath, and other common symptoms of heat exhaustion. Concert personnel at the venue hosed down the crowd of approximately 4,500 during the show, and free bottles of water were provided to concert attendees.
Wilmington Fire Chief Clifton Armstead told the local newspaper The News Journal that despite the high temperatures, he didn't believe that shutting down the concert was a viable option. "If we stopped it, there would have been a riot," Armstead explained. Medical personnel treated an additional 55 teenagers and several parents for heat-related illnesses at the sold-out concert featuring Aaron, his sister Leslie Carter, and the A-Teens.
Wilmington and many other cities across the nation have faced heat advisories and excessive heat warnings as temperatures in many parts of the country soared to record levels this week.
