INDIANAPOLIS — A fifth person has died and others were injured Saturday night when stage rigging collapsed after an unexpected wind gust, trapping and injuring fans awaiting a Sugarland concert at the Indiana State Fair, officials said.
The fifth death was confirmed Sunday, NBC station WTHR.com reported. The person was believed to be a spotlight worker who was on the stage when the steel scaffolding collapsed.
The fatality and injury count may rise, 1st Sgt. Dave Bursten of the Indiana State Police warned at an Sunday press briefing. At least 45 people have been hospitalized.
The Marion County coroner identified two of the dead, Bursten said. However, he did not release any names.
Officials said the state fair planned to reopen Monday and a public remembrance was slated at 9 a.m. for those killed.
NBC station WTHR reported up to 200 were seated in the outdoor VIP area called the "Sugar Pit" when the rigging collapsed around them at 8:50 p.m. ET.
About 12,000 people were at the concert.
Sugarland's lead singer Jennifer Nettles issued a statement on Sunday saying the band was "stunned and heartbroken for the fans and their families in Indiana. We hold those injured in our prayers at this very sad time. There are no words. It is tragic."
Thirty minutes before the collapse, opening act Sara Bareilles finished her set by commenting what a beautiful night it was, the
Then a thunderstorm rolled through and wind gusts of 53 mph came up. Officials warned the audience that the concert could be delayed due to weather and the area could be evacuated. Moments later, the stage collapsed, witnesses and officials said.
"It was like in slow motion, you couldn't believe it was actually happening," said concert-goer Amy Weathers.
"It was the most traumatic thing I've ever seen," witness Crystal Wilburess, told WTHR. "Everybody just came in together as a team," she said, describing hundreds of people rushing in to help lift heavy equipment off the injured.
Medics and rescue crews throughout Indianapolis converged on the State Fairgrounds after the Hoosier Lottery Grandstand stage rigging fell. Many fans and first responders rushed to lift rigging off those trapped beneath.
Fallen lighting rigging extended about 15 feet onto the track where the stage was set up.
Concert-goers told WTHR that a gust came from the west and rocked the rigging, causing some panic in the crowd prior to the stage's collapse. Evacuation efforts were already under way and the concert had been put on hold minutes before the collapse.
Bursten said preparations were in progress for an evacuation at the time of the collapse and personnel were being put in place in case officials decided an evacuation was necessary.
"The weather all-in-all was not extraordinarily severe," he said, noting the gust preceded a storm.
However, the wind gust came up so fast, there was no time to order the evacuation.
Concertgoer Emily Davis told the Star that officials mentioned an evacuation plan but never made an announcement to leave the scene. She said the accident happened very fast.
"They said, if need be, this is what we're going to do and somebody will come back out and tell you, but they didn't have time to come back out and tell us," she said.
Jason Scofield, who shot video of the rigging collapsing, told WTHR the announcement had just been made that they might have to evacuate. At that point, dust started blowing quickly.
"All of the sudden there was a second gust and the stage started to twist slowly. The grandstand started to shake. Everyone started to run instantly to try and get out," he said.
The overhead stage rigging collapses into the crowd in front of the stage at the Hoosier Lottery Grandstand at the Indiana State Fair. The collapse occurred before Sugarland took the stage.
Associated Press photographer Darron Cummings was in the audience attending the concert as a fan shortly before the collapse. He said an announcer gave the crowd instructions on how to evacuate if the weather worsened, but said they hoped to get Sugarland on stage soon.
Cummings said he and his friends went ahead and sought shelter in a nearby barn after seeing the weather radar. "Then we heard screams. We heard people just come running," Cummings told the AP.
Emergency workers established a command center and triage area to tend to the injured. Those hurt were being moved to a tunnel below the grandstand stage. A hole was reportedly being dug in the dirt track to try to reach people trapped beneath the rigging.
Indiana Homeland Security declared a Level 1 emergency.
Sugarland tweeted around 9:45 p.m., "We are all right. We are praying for our fans, and the people of Indianapolis. We hope you'll join us. They need your strength."
Bareilles later tweeted: "I'm speechless and feel so helpless. Please send love and prayers to Indianapolis tonight. My heart aches for the lives lost. #indyiloveu"
Dave Lindquist, music journalist for The Indianapolis Star, first reported the collapse on Twitter, "Tragedy at fair concert. Entire stage collapses on track." He also wrote that "perhaps a dozen injured people have been removed from track on stretcher-type boards."
source : http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44133994/ns/us_news-life/
source : http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44133994/ns/us_news-life/
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