Indiana State Fair stage collapses

[southsider2k5]

So clearly they should have been. This wasn't some fluke.

 

The thunderstorm warning was issued 10 minutes before the collapse, FWIW.

[knightni]

I knew that there were going to be thunderstorms on Saturday - at least 3 days before they happened. The 10 minute warning is just a cop-out.

[IlliniKrush]

And lawyers everywhere agree with you

[southsider2k5]

I knew that there were going to be thunderstorms on Saturday - at least 3 days before they happened. The 10 minute warning is just a cop-out.

 

If you knew there were going to be thunderstorms in Indy at 8:49 local time, three days ahead of time, let me just say you are in the wrong business.

[southsider2k5]

And lawyers everywhere agree with you

 

I have no doubts about that.

[knightni]

I knew severe weather was expected Saturday evening, yes.

 

Anyone who watches weather radars on the internet would have.

[Balta1701]

Yes, and there was a warning 4 minutes before the thing blew over, but the storm itself wasn't there yet: this was a shock front out in front of the rain storm line.

 

When the warning was stated, the people with the goodspots near the stage didn't want to give up their spots and it wasn't mandatory.

Finally found the image I was looking for. You can see what apparently is correctly termed a "Gust front" developed out in front of the main body of storms in this image. It's the lighter blue line showing up in the radar before the big storms. That's the wind burst that hit this stage.

 

[whitesoxfan101]

Finally found the image I was looking for. You can see what apparently is correctly termed a "Gust front" developed out in front of the main body of storms in this image. It's the lighter blue line showing up in the radar before the big storms. That's the wind burst that hit this stage.

 

 

They aren't particularly uncommon. It's why the weather needs to be watched very closely at large outdoor events, and people need to be moved before the storm itself arrives in cases where the storm is severe or has the potential to be.

Edited August 19, 2011 by whitesoxfan101

[whitesoxfan101]

Not sure if it has been posted around here, but a stage collapse during a violent storm at a music festival in Belgium killed 5 more people yesterday. This is absolutely ridiculous. I'm curious how many people have to needlessly die before the weather is taken more seriously at outdoor musical events. There have been several other stage collapses this year as well, but fortunately those were not fatal.

Edited August 19, 2011 by whitesoxfan101

[Jenksismyhero]

Not sure if it has been posted around here, but a stage collapse during a violent storm at a music festival in Belgium killed 5 more people yesterday. This is absolutely ridiculous. I'm curious how many people have to needlessly die before the weather is taken more seriously at outdoor musical events. There have been several other stage collapses this year as well, but fortunately those were not fatal.

 

While it's a tragedy, I caution people not to go overboard here. This has all the symptoms of a complete overreaction from a legislative perspective, much like the new law governing soccer goals because one kid out of the hundreds of thousands of games played over the years died in a freak accident. It sucks, but it's still a rare occurrence that might not have been the fault of anyone but nature.