2011 Tragedy Strikes The Indiana State Fair

As Sugarland prepared to take the stage, wind gusts from an approaching thunderstorm collapsed the stage's temporary roof structure, lighting and sound equipment at the Indiana State Fair in Indianapolis. Opening act Sara Bareilles had completed her performance just prior to the incident.

According to depositions given in pending law suits regarding the incident, Cindy Hoye, the Executive Director for the Indiana State Fair Commission, held a meeting to discuss what effect the weather forecast would have on the start time for the Sugarland show. Members of the meeting were told that the storm was forecast to arrive 30 minutes after the concert was to begin. Hoye wanted to delay the show until the weather had passed. An official took this message to Sugarland's managers, who said they preferred to go on with the show as scheduled and only stop if weather conditions worsened. The managers only knew about the rain, not the lightning, wind, and hail that were expected.

When the band's decision got back to Director Hoye, she accepted, assuming the band had the final say. Since the storm was to arrive at around 9:15 p.m., there would still be time for them to perform some of the show.

At around 8:30 p.m., Director Hoye encountered State Police Captain Brad Weaver, who was concerned that the approaching weather would pose a threat to public safety. Weaver recommended that Hoye cancel the show, also recommending they put together an evacuation for the crowd. Hoye directed her staff to make preparations for an evacuation.

At 8:39 p.m., the National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning indicating that quarter size hail and winds over 60 miles per hour were expected. This warning was not communicated to either Executive Director Hoye or Captain Weaver, who were still anticipating the storm arriving at 9:15 p.m.

At 8:40 p.m., Director Hoye dictated a message to an announcer, who delivered it to the audience at 8:45 p.m. The announcer stated that a storm was approaching but that the show would go on. He gave instructions on how to evacuate to the buildings nearby in case conditions got worse, but there was no directive to actually proceed with an evacuation. It is unknown whether this was the message Hoye had intended.

After hearing an announcement that the show was going to continue, Captain Weaver confronted Director Hoye and reiterated that the show should be called off. The two agreed, and began walking to the stage to make a second announcement. However, at 8:46 p.m., the stage structure collapsed before they were able to announce the evacuation. Killed on the scene were stagehand Nathan Byrd, age 51; Tammy Vandam, 42; Glenn Goodrich, 49; Alina Bijohny, 23; and Christina Santiago, 29. Jennifer Haskell, 22, and Meagan Toothman, 24, died at the hospital from their injuries.

According to the final incident report released by the engineering firm Thornton Tomasetti:

The failure ... was due to the inadequate capacity of the lateral load resisting system, which was comprised of guy lines connected to concrete "Jersey Barrier" ballast.

The concrete barriers used as anchors for the guy lines were not fixed in place; they resisted loading only by friction with the ground and through their own weight—about 4,200 pounds. Just before the collapse, wind loading caused several of the barriers to slide or pivot from their original positions, allowing the top of the truss structure to lean toward the crowd. The subsequent bending forces within the support columns were too large, and the structure collapsed under its own weight.

Four legal cases have been instigated as a result of the collapse. One case seeks unspecified damages from Sugarland, stage riggers and others associated with the production. Sugarland's contract with the state fair claimed that the band had the final say over whether or not to cancel the performance due to weather conditions. Legal proceedings against Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush began in February of this year to determine if they should be held liable for the stage collapse.

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    Guitarist and recording pioneer Les Paul died of pneumonia in New York’s West Plains Hospital. With then-wife Mary Ford he had a 1951 country hit with "Mockin’ Bird Hill". He also won a Grammy with Chet Atkins in 1977  for Best Country Instrumental Performance for Chester and Lester.

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    1991

  • Photo by Rachel Murray/Getty Images for John Varvatos
    Photo by Rachel Murray/Getty Images for John Varvatos
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    Birthdays

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    Singer Andy Griggs is 41

    Drummer Mike Melancon (Emerson Drive) is 36

     

     

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