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The death of Pastor Robert Guanco at the Big Church Festival in West Sussex was a shock to families and church communities who went there to worship and sing, not to dodge falling signs. The tragic collapse of a large sign that crushed people, killed a pastor and sent others to hospital forced the festival to end early. This was a preventable horror, and the community deserves answers and accountability as police and the Health and Safety Executive investigate.
What happened at Big Church Festival
According to witnesses and the police, a large sign or tent structure blew over in gusty winds and struck a group of people near a worship area. Pastor Robert Guanco, a 41-year-old husband and church leader, was killed and at least six others were injured. Event organizers said they were “devastated” and worked with emergency teams. Detective Chief Superintendent Richard McDonagh said officers are trying to establish exactly what happened as the Health and Safety Executive looks into the same questions. Wind warnings had been in place, and forecasts showed gusts that should have been taken seriously by every large outdoor event.
Questions organizers must answer
When tragedy hits, we should comfort the grieving—but we must also demand clear answers. How was that sign secured? Were weather forecasts monitored? Were safety checks performed the morning of the event? If a festival large enough to draw national attention can’t safely anchor a sign in known windy conditions, that points to negligence or sloppy planning. Organizers owe the public straight answers, not boilerplate sympathy. The Health and Safety Executive must examine whether corners were cut to save money or time.
Common-sense safety rules festivals should follow
This is not rocket science. Festivals must plan for weather, secure temporary structures to a proven standard, and cancel or move activities when conditions put people at risk. Organizers should have trained safety officers on site, independent inspections, and clear evacuation plans. Private event teams can and should be held accountable without a parade of government costs. If you run a big event, you are responsible for keeping people safe—end of story. If insurers and regulators find negligence, criminal or civil consequences should follow.
A community grieves and needs answers
Pastor Robert Guanco’s family and his church are suffering a deep loss, and the wider Christian community is rightly grieving. Sympathy and prayers are not a substitute for investigation and change. We must demand accountability from the Big Church Festival and anyone whose decisions put people in harm’s way. Let the police and the Health and Safety Executive do their jobs, and let organizers fix the predictable safety failures that turned a worship gathering into a scene of tragedy. The least we can do is learn from this and prevent it from happening again.
