Deadly stage collapse in Indianapolis
Posted Aug 15, 2011 05:14:23 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The Indiana State fair in Indianapolis is set to re-open today after being closed Sunday following a tragic incident.
A huge stage structure was blown down during a storm on Saturday night, killing five people and injuring at least 40 others. Dozens of people are still in hospital, some with life-threatening injuries.
Officials say there’s no damage elsewhere on the fairgrounds, except at the stage where the rigging and lighting system collapsed.
Police say the lack of additional damage backs up the belief of the weather service that it was an isolated, significant gust of wind that brought down the rigging.
Workers at the fair had called the weather service four times Saturday evening for updates.
Police say in the last call, forecasters warned that a storm with hail and winds gusting to 60 kilometres an hour was expected to hit the fairgrounds at 9:15.
