Kevin Smith fell from film set tower, agent reveals
19.02.2002 1.25 pm
It has been revealed that New Zealand actor Kevin Smith climbed a film set tower from which he suffered his fatal fall last week.
He hit his head several times on his way down and landed on the tower's stone base, his agent said today.
Robert Bruce said he was releasing more details of the incident on behalf of Kevin's wife and family.
The Smith family had earlier asked the New Zealand Embassy in Beijing not to release any information about how the actor died.
Mr Bruce said Mr Smith had been "checking out" some sets at the CCTV Film Studios in Hebei Province, the province surrounding the Chinese capital Beijing.
It is not clear what time Mr Smith was on the set and whether it was the set of the film where he had the previous day finished filming 'Warriors of Virtue II', or the set of 'Man of War', the new Bruce Willis movie, he was about to start filming.
Mr Bruce said Mr Smith was semiconscious when he was transported to the local hospital. After a CT scan, hospital staff decided Mr Smith should be transferred to the main hospital in Beijing.
It was while at this hospital that Mr Smith fell into a deep coma, Mr Bruce said.
"After several days in the coma, Kevin showed signs of recovery but unfortunately on the 4th day his body went into shock and he subsequently passed away on Friday."
Shocked fans were yesterday desperate for more information about the actors death.
"Although I now know it is true, I still know nothing of what happened to him," said one fan on an internet site where tributes to Smith are being posted.
"If someone could fill me in I would be most grateful."