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13 August 2011

The main stage collapsed at the Sugarland Concert at the Indiana State Fair I'm worried about friends who were performing today at the fair. Please keep them in your thoughts. I haven't heard anything yet, and I'm feeling sick.
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=110070465759055&oid=54444461143&co
posted by pjern 13 August | 21:19
Fingers and toes crossed, here, pjern. Keep us posted.
posted by nthdegx 13 August | 21:29
Scary. That's the third time in the last month, previously Cheap Trick in Ontario on July 18th, Flaming Lips in Tulsa on August 8th (that one got less press attention, apparently because the show hadn't begun yet and there was only one band member endangered). Nothing like that at my local county fair a couple weeks ago - the benefits of living where you get very little actual WEATHER.
posted by oneswellfoop 13 August | 21:29
Thinking of you and your friends, pjern, and hoping the news ends up good.
posted by bearwife 13 August | 21:41
Current news from the Mayor's 10PM press conference is 3 fatalities, 24 injured.
posted by pjern 13 August | 21:52
That's bad, much worse than the other collapses... my thoughts are with your friends at the fairgrounds...
posted by oneswellfoop 13 August | 23:04
It's up to 4 dead now, and 43 at the hospital.
posted by pjern 13 August | 23:15
Here's the latest status: The State Police are searching every building, vehicle, and cranny on the fairgrounds to make sure there aren't any unknown victims, who may have wandered away from the site due to injuries or shock. An unknown number of people self-transported to hospitals and other care providers, so there may be as many as 200 injured (worst-case number). Video shows the stage rigging falling into the "Sugar Pit", where Sugarland's best fans apparently hung out. Video also shows the follow-spot operators ascending the rigging a few minutes prior to the collapse. The names, etc. of the identified victims are still being withheld pending notifications. 2 of the victims remain unidentified at this point.

The show security staff, primarily the Indiana State Police, had apparently made the decision to postpone the show and evacuate the grandstands, and were positioning security people to accomplish this when the gust front hit and caused the accident.

One of my friends updated her Facebook since the accident, so she's OK, and another I was concerned about is on the safe and sound list at the Red Cross. I'll sleep easier tonight.

The fair has closed for at least tomorrow, modulo a skeleton staff to care for the animals.

The grandstands where most of the videos were shot sits between where the stage was erected and the Pepsi Coliseum, where the 1963 Holiday On Ice Halloween tragedy occurred. (A propane tank exploded, and 74 people were killed.)

This has been an enervating and harrowing evening here in Indiana. Goodnight, all, and thanks for listening.
posted by pjern 14 August | 01:35
I'm glad your friends are ok.
posted by brujita 14 August | 01:59
Oh that's awful.
posted by Senyar 14 August | 02:43
Thanks for the updates, pjern.
posted by nthdegx 14 August | 04:09
Most harrowing. How awful for everyone there and who had people there.
posted by rainbaby 14 August | 07:53
Really awful.

Now that I work in a job where we do a lot of large events, I've become a lot more aware of the serious importance of stage setup and rigging. IT's tempting to cut corners because professional event management is so expensive. But this is exactly the kind of thing that it guards against. Sometimes the contracts demand such exacting standards for stage setup and safety checks that it seems ridiculous, but it's serious business.
posted by Miko 14 August | 08:42
We were watching all the Indy news channels last night, following the tragedy. The videos of the collapse are really sickening. I'm glad your friends are safe, Phil.

posted by Thorzdad 14 August | 10:29
Oh, how awful. I'm glad you've heard from your friends, pjern --- what a scary experience for everyone.
posted by Elsa 14 August | 11:01
Wow, what a scary event for all concerned. It really is troubling how many times this has happened this summer, as foop's links make clear. People obviously are cutting corners where they shouldn't.
posted by BoringPostcards 14 August | 13:19
That video gave me the shudders. I'm glad your friends are okay, pjern.
posted by deborah 14 August | 14:28
Oh wow, how awful :( Your friends are in my thoughts, pjern.
posted by goshling 14 August | 19:41
I wonder about union stagehand contracts. Quick lazy googling gleaned nothing, but still, I have union friends, and I wonder if their salt is being undermined. I'm not sure. I know they know their trades, though. Hate to speculate.
posted by rainbaby 14 August | 21:45
CCTV footage from the UK riots || Happy Birthday Orange Swan!

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