Introduction:-
The Indiana State Fair stage collapse was an incident that occurred during August 13, 2011, an outdoor live event by Sugar land at the Indiana state fair in which a ‘severe’ gust of wind from an approaching thunderstorm hit the stage’s unreliable roof structure, causing it to collapse. The structure landed among a crowd of spectators, killing seven people and injuring 58 other people.
What went wrong?
Firstly, the company holding the responsibility of the audience’s safety should’ve rescheduled the event if they knew prior to the event that the weather especially a ‘severe’ thunderstorm was going to occur during the event. They should’ve considered this, and the fact that the stage was quoted to be “temporary” meaning they didn’t give a proper risk assesment because this could’ve been prevented. Also, crowd control was a big issue here, with no security directing the crowd. And no sense of direction to safety, it created chaos as people tried to escape. With no risk assesment put in place, the people on the stage were disregarded, as they had no way to escape the crumbling stage.
What could be improved?
Organisation; making sure that a temporary stage isn’t carelessly disregarded without a risk assesment, as well as organising ways for the audiences to escape with safe alternatives. Knowing beforehand, planning ahead; responsible for those on stage and the safety of the crowd those hosting the event should recognise when the weather could effect those involved. Construct a more stronger stage, having a temporary unsafe stage is reckless, and the wind shouldn’t have been able to knock over the stage to such severity.