Topic: Another stage collapse.

[ocala]

This one with 5 fatalities.  
The video is pretty chilling.
http://www.billboard.com/news/five-confirmed-dead-in-sugarland-stage-collapse-1005316022.story#/news/five-confirmed-dead-in-sugarland-stage-collapse-1005316022.story

[CNYWeather]

Outdoor activities  will need better scrutiny when severe weather approaches. I believe they were
already evacuating people with the approaching storm. Very tragic.

[ocala]

From looking at the video the structure was free standing. They need some type of support like guy wires to prevent any side to side or front to back movement. That thing collapsed pretty easily.

[dasman]

Out door events need a severe weather plan! One that can be utilized quickly.  I believe if you are hosting an outdoor event you have an obligation to make it as safe as possible.  60mph winds and severe T-storms are not uncommon in the midwest. 

[chief-david]

Outdoor activities  will need better scrutiny when severe weather approaches. I believe they were
already evacuating people with the approaching storm. Very tragic.

We have had that conversation around here a lot-right?

Someone should have been responsible enough to see the storm coming

[Curly]

Last year there was a free Foghat concert scheduled with thousands of people attending but an hour or so earlier before they came on stage they saw the weather report and cancelled the concert due to severe storms heading their way. People left and the storm hit shortly after.

I believe Indy had ample warning on what was approaching also.
The only difference that I can see is the "revenue" involved determines how threatening weather is treated.

[ocala]

I think you guys are missing the point here. That stage was not properly secured. If that stage was was erected with all safety features in place the only thing we are talking about today is a bunch of people going home from a concert all wet. Not fatalities.

[dasman]

Ocala you are right...If it were constructed properly!  It was not.  So the question is why not???  Was it short sightedness or money?  Remember this is the midwest where gusty T-storms are very common.

[WeatherHost]

The very first thought I had was "Where the heck are the guy wires?".  It just looked like a bunch of towers with snap together scaffolding - very cheesy.

I thought Indiana might have learned something after Notre Dame, but I guess not.

[Downlinerz2]

    Very sad.  A person should be able to go to an event and not have the stage or anything else collapse!  I am very sorry for those killed and injured.
  Mark

[Mark / Ohio]

I for one would not be standing close to any temporary structures with a storm like that coming in.     Winds with those storms were strong enough to take down permanent buildings.  Workers had to be there but the spectators did not.  Even if the stage had stayed up, one bolt of lighting to the structure or grandstand were the camera was could have easily taken out more then 5 people too being as packed in as they were.

[IMADreamer]

I used to play in a band and we played a county fair one time where this exact same thing happened just minutes before we were to go on.  Fortunately no one was hurt.  Our drummer did lose his drum set though.


This is sad because it was very preventable, again poorly constructed and they had atleast 10 minutes warning time but yet no one was evacuated.  What's worse is I keep hearing the Governor and State Fair officials say "this was a fluke accident."  NO it wasn't, severe storms basically happen every day in the midwest from April to October.  A lot of people should be sued by the families who lost loved ones over this. 

[dasman]

Agreed! Definitely not a fluke

[sacreyweather]

I agree this is no fluke.  It is very sad 5 were killed when there should have been no one killed because of incompetence, greed, ignorance, etc.  If they had 10 minutes of warning and yet no one did anything about moving folks to safety, someone, whoever it may/will be, needs to be held accountable.  Obviously this will cost some folks a chunk of change, and it needs to, plus I wouldn't be surprised to see criminal charges brought up against the folks who had heard the warning and had the capability to prevent this, but didn't.  I'm sure there is finger pointing going on already as to who, what, why..... but the bottom line is that safety should come first and foremost at ANY venue, inside and outside.

I know this will make stage/technical folks take a hard look at the construction of their stages, hopefully, and make some changes to make sure this doesn't happen again, like guy wires among other things.

It reminds me of the tornado that hit Atlanta during the NCAA tournament a few years ago.  There was a warning out, but no one did anything until the roof got ripped off.

John