Dozens hurt in D.C. concert stampede

Rescue workers wheel an injured concert goer to a waiting ambulance.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Several dozen people were injured Saturday night when fans stampeded the "mosh pit" at a large concert at Robert F. Kennedy Stadium.

Five people had injuries serious enough that they were taken to the hospital, said D.C. Fire Department spokesman Alan Etter. One of them was a 20-year-old man who went into cardiac arrest, but Etter said he did not know the man's condition late Saturday.

Others suffered minor scrapes and bumps.

The stampede happened shortly after 8 p.m. as controversial rapper Eminem was taking the stage on the first day of a weekend concert festival presented by WHFS-FM, a radio station in the Baltimore-Washington area.

"There was a rush when he first came out on the stage, and several people were injured as a result of that," said Etter.

Called the WHFStival, the concert is an annual spring event and routinely draws major music stars. This year's roster includes more than 50 rock and DJ acts including The Strokes, Sum 41, Our Lady Peace, and Timo Maas.

Etter praised concert officials over their handling of the situation which allowed the concert to proceed afterwards.

"There were announcements being made from the stage that there was an emergency going on," he said.