Five die as winds blow stage onto country music crowds

Five people died and dozens were injured after strong winds toppled the stage onto fans waiting for a country band to perform in Ameria.
By The Newsroom
Published 15th Aug 2011, 07:00 BST

Up to 40 people were reported injured in the incident at the Iowa State Fair in Indianapolis.

Strong winds caused the stage rigging for the outdoor concert to collapse, trapping and injuring concert-goers. No one was performing at the time.

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The opening act had just finished, and the crowd was waiting for the headline act, Sugarland to take the stage.

The band, led by duo Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush, issued a statement saying the band is “stunned and heartbroken for the fans and their families in Indiana”.

Indiana State Police spokesman David Bursten said that a “strong gust of wind upset the rigging above the stage at the Indiana State Fairgrounds and caused a collapse of the structure over the stage”.

The collapse came as thousands of concert-goers were being evacuated from the fairground grandstand to a nearby coliseum.

The stage rigging fell onto an area where some fans were seated.

“It was like it was in slow motion,” concert-goer Amy Weathers told reporters.

“You couldn’t believe it was actually happening.”