Five Die When Stage Collapses at Indiana State Fair

Lights and rigging for a Sugarland concert a the Indiana State Fair crashed to the ground Saturday, just before 9 pm when the featured act was scheduled to appear, sending concertgoers fleeing for their lives.  An earlier announcement over the loudspeaker warned the crowd that predictions of a severe storm might necessitate an evacuation, and they should find shelter if ordered to leave.  That order never came.  An unexpected, sudden strong wind that reached 60-70 mph hurled dust and dirt on the crowd and caused the tragedy that killed five people and sent dozens to the hospital.  Some are suffering from life-threatening injuries, so more deaths might occur.

Gov. Mitch Daniels called the accident an "unthinkable tragedy" and said the wind burst was a "fluke" that no one could have foreseen. Dan McCarthy, chief meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Indiana, said the wind gust that caused the collapse was much stornger than winds in other areas of the fairgrounds.

Emergency crews arrived on the scene and immediately started carrying the injured out on stretchers. At the same time, many members of the audience had returned to the scene and worked to lift metal scaffolding off people pinned beneath it. Eventually, the police brought in dogs to search the debris for any people who might still be trapped. 

Jennifer Nettles said she watched coverage of the stage toppling "in horror."  She and Kristian Bush, who perform as Sugarland, canceled their show today at the Iowa State Fair. 

Tammy Vandam, 42, of Wanatah, Indiana; Glenn Goodrich, 49, of Indianapolis; Alina BigJohny, 23 of Fort Wayne and Christina Santiago, 29, of Chicago, according to the Marion County Coroner's office died at the scene.  Stagehand Nate Byrd, 51, who was on the stage rigging to run the show's spotlight, died Sunday at Methodist Hospital.  Ham on Wry sends condolences to the families of the deceased.

Fair officials said the Indiana Occupational Health and Safety Administration and state fire marshal's office are investigating, but it could take several months before they finalize the inquiry.