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A 62-year-old Ontario man was found dead outside the gates of the Rockfest music festival in Montebello on Saturday.

It was the first death in the festival’s 12-year history.

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Sgt. Daniel Thibaudeau of the Sûreté du Québec said passersby found the man at about 11 a.m. on the sidewalk on Milles Fleurs Street in the small tourist town about 100 kilometres east of Ottawa.

“The man was unconscious and they attempted to resuscitate him, without success,” Thibaudeau said.

He was taken to the regional hospital where he was declared dead.

Thibaudeau confirmed that the victim was camping inside the grounds of the festival and had tickets for the performances.

Police spent several hours tracking the victim’s camping mate to confirm his identity.

They have now begun the search for the victim’s next of kin who must be notified before the victim is identified.

While there was no immediate indication of unnatural causes, such as drugs or criminal assault, Thibaudeau said an autopsy will be conducted in Montreal.

Thibaudeau said police have been impressed by efforts by organizers of the concert, which specializes in hard rock and heavy metal, to be “proactive and ensure that everyone is safe.”

“Think about it,” he said. “You’ll have about 75,000 people attending the show in this little area and this is the first death.”