Indonesian pop star Irma Bule, 29, died onstage during a performance on Sunday night after she was bitten by a king cobra she was handling during the show.
Reports are saying Bule was singing at a party when she accidentally stepped on a cobra that hadn’t been de-fanged.
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A nearby handler removed the snake from the stage and tried to administer anti-venom to Bule, but she refused and continued to perform.
According to The Huffington Post U.K., a member of the audience said: “In the middle of the second song, Irma stepped on the snake’s tail. The snake then bit Irma in her thigh.”
Around 45 minutes later, she started to vomit and have seizures. She was taken to the hospital, but was later pronounced dead.
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Bule often featured snakes and other reptiles in her act — a relatively common practice in the region.
The king cobra is the world’s longest venomous snake, with lengths of over five metres. Its powerful bite can even bring down fully grown elephants within hours.
Indonesian police are investigating the incident. There has been no comment from Bule’s friends or family members.