Sugarland Stage Collapse No Fluke

August 16, 2011

Dark clouds loomed over a brightly lit outdoor stage last Saturday night moments before the country band, Sugarland, were set to perform. Tragically, just before the concert began, a large gust of wind preceding a wave of bad weather caused the stage to collapse, killing five people and injuring dozens more. Now experts say the tragedy was no “fluke,” as Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels referred to it.

In an article released by MSNBC in conjunction with weather.com, experts say the tragedy could have been avoided if concert officials had heeded early warnings of the severe weather. Inclement weather was reported in forecasts as early as Thursday, and high winds and large hail were discussed in detail in early Saturday forecasts. Just before 6:00 PM, a severe thunderstorm watch was issued for all of central Indiana, calling for lightning, hail, and wind gusts of up to 70 MPH. At 8:39 PM, 10 minutes before the stage’s collapse, a severe thunderstorm warning was issued for the fairground area–promoters were given ample time to move the crowd from the area to a safe, sheltered location.

No other fairgrounds structures or rides were damaged by the storm, which also raises questions of the structural integrity of the stage itself.

Property owners or those responsible for events like Saturday’s tragedy are often held accountable for injuries on their property, as they are in charge of keeping the area safe for all in attendance. If you have been injured at no fault of your own, contact the Indiana Personal Injury Lawyers with Fleschner, Stark, Tanoos & Newlin. They may be able to help you collect compensation for you injuries and losses