The Indiana State Fair's Tragic Stage Collapse

A stage collapsed in high winds at the Indiana State Fair on Saturday, killing five concert-goers and injuring dozens more. Since then, officials, citizens and the media have been searching for explanations. Here are some questions they've been asking, and the answers they've received so far.

What happened?

Some 12,000 people were waiting for a Sugarland concert to start at the Indiana State Fair in Indianapolis when a 60- to 70-mph gust of wind hit. An Associated Press story describes the next part in detail: The gust "blew a punishing cloud of dirt, dust and rain down the fairground's main thoroughfare. The massive rigging and lighting system covering the stage tilted forward, then plummeted onto the front of the crowd in a sickening thump

Did fair officials know the weather was dangerous?

Gov. Mitch Daniels called the gust of wind an "as-far-as-I-can-tell fluke." Rolling Stone reports that fair officials contacted the National Weather Service four times between 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. and were anticipating something like 40-mph winds. According to the Indianapolis Star, the National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning for the county at 8:39 p.m. AccuWeather meanwhile issued a warning for 60-mph winds about 15 minutes before that.

Did fair officials take proper precautions?

Six minutes after the NWS warning, the crowd was told that there was bad weather in the area, and if it worsened, the concert could be called off. They were provided instructions on seeking shelter, but few left. The gust of wind hit four minutes later, at roughly 8:49 p.m. While such winds are "not unusual," the National Weather Service told the Star, it's hard to predict their intensity. The gust of wind was an unanticipated precursor to the actual storm, which wasn't expected to hit for another 15 to 20 minutes, Indiana state officials have emphasized. "It's not clear to me at this stage how anyone could have foreseen a sudden, highly localized blast of wind in one place," Daniels said.

Should they have evacuated immediately?

A crowd gathered outside for a symphony 15 miles away was evacuated, without incident, right after receiving a warning around 8:15 p.m., and some are using that as a point of contrast. Mike Smith, a senior vice president at AccuWeather, told Rolling Stone that the event "was quite foreseeable." Some anecdotal reports from the scene have taken a similar tone, though they're not expert opinions.
Was the structure itself flawed?

According to the AP, fair officials haven't yet said whether the stage, rigging and lighting were inspected beforehand (and haven't even publicly settled whose job that is). In any case, the integrity of the structure is still being investigated, and there is no word yet on when these results will be in or how revealing they'll be. As various cogs of the state's bureaucracy get involved, the timeline will likely lengthen.

What's the takeaway?

Multiple news outlets have pointed out that this isn't the first time this season that winds have caused accidents at outdoor shows, and Rolling Stone says this latest event is "prompting questions about whether outdoor shows are safe for bands and fans." Certainly this incident will have show organizers erring on the side of caution. But for some, the takeaway thus far has been appreciating the bravery of those who ran to help when the stage collapsed. Daniels said "there was a hero every 10 feet."