Texas rave leaves one dead, dozens in hospital

A 19-year-old man has died in Dallas after an overnight rave party ended in chaos, a spokesman for the Texas city's fire department said Sunday.

Rescuers responded to a series of 911 calls from the Electric Daisy Carnival event for emergencies related to drugs, alcohol and excessive heat, spokesman Jason Evans said.

Some 20 to 25 people were taken to local hospitals for treatment, with one reported to be in critical condition. The cause of death for the man who died is not yet known.

The emergency calls had begun as early as 9 p.m. Saturday with at least 10 different rescue units sent to the scene at the Centennial Building in Fair Park, Evans said.

"The chaos finally came to a rapid stop when someone pulled a fire alarm around 1:30 a.m. and sent those remaining scattering," he added.

Two citations were issued by fire inspectors, one for overcrowding and another for failure to obey the order of the fire marshal. His request for a half-hour halt in the music to help manage the crowd was refused, Evans said.

According to the Electric Daisy Carnival website, the sold-out event began at 4 p.m. and was due to end at 2 a.m. It was open only to those over 18 and drugs and other illegal substances were banned.

Frank Librio, a spokesman for the city's government, said in an e-mailed statement that the "event was conducted with all of the proper procedures, approvals and safety measures" -- including drivers-license screenings and bag searches.

"No outside beverages were permitted, other than a sealed water bottle," Librio wrote, noting that the same event last year occurred without incident. "Festival rules were posted at all entry points."

The spokesman added that Dallas' fire and rescue department had "three medical assistance stations" in Fair Park for the event.

"There were no issues with air conditioning, which was fully operational," said Librio, despite the reports about dangerously high heat.

The death of a 15-year-old girl from a suspected drug overdose at an Electric Daisy Carnival event in Los Angeles last year led to calls for a ban on raves at the venue involved.

Fair Park, a former World's Fair site and National Historic Landmark, hosts the Texas state fair each fall.