Indiana State Fair stage collapse kills 3

Fans waiting to see Sugarland run away after high winds blew the stage over at the Indiana State Fair Grandstands, Saturday. Four people were killed and a dozen people were reported injured.

INDIANAPOLIS — Authorities say they have confirmed at least three deaths after a stage collapsed during a storm at the Indiana State Fair, where the country group Sugarland was set to perform.

About two dozen people have been reported injured in the Saturday night incident at the fairgrounds in Indianapolis. Strong winds caused the stage rigging for the outdoor concert to collapse, trapping and injuring concert-goers shortly before 9 p.m.

Indiana State Police did not immediately return phone messages to The Associated Press. But the Indianapolis Star and WTHR are reporting that three people have died. They initially were reporting that four had died, but later changed their reports to three dead based on information released by authorities.


Emergency crews were called to the scene. Workers were setting up a command center to tend to those who were injured.

The Star reported that thousands of concert-goers were being evacuated to a nearby building because of high winds when the rigging for the stage fell onto the track where some were seated.

“It was like it was in slow motion,” concert-goer Amy Weathers told the newspaper. “You couldn’t believe it was actually happening.”

Those who were injured were being moved to a tunnel below the stage, the Star reported. A hole was being dug to try to reach those trapped beneath the rigging.