Indiana Stage Collapse: Fair Scheduled to Reopen
The Indiana State Fair was scheduled to reopen Monday with a minute’s silence for those that perished in the horrific stage collapse over the weekend.
The fair was shutdown after strong winds from a storm ripped through the venue blowing over the stage construction on top of the crowd, killing five and injuring 40 on Saturday.
“Today will be about grieving for and with the victims and about starting the necessary process of repair to get the fair back under way,” said Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels according to CNN on Monday.
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Early warnings were issued by concert officials regarding the storm, but the strong winds damaged the stage before any real evacuations took place.
Weather experts did not expect the storm to hit when it did.
“The information we had, with our meteorologist on site with constant contact with the National Weather Service, was that we had about 30 more minutes before any kind of rain or storm blew in,” said fair spokesman Andy Klotz to “Early Show” co-anchor Chris Wragge.
Gov. Daniels supported the fair’s officials.
“I’m not saying that we’re not going to find many things that could have been done differently. I’m only saying that I know the people who run this operation. They think safety all the time and I know that their hearts are broken that in this case this event took place as it did,” said Daniels.
He also told the “Early Show” that nothing else on the fairground was damaged by the wind.
According to police, out of those who were injured in the accident, some are still in critical condition. They fear more deaths in the weeks to come.
The state fair’s website said that it would reopen Monday, with gates opening at 8 a.m. and admission for the general public starting at 10 a.m.
