Stage Collapse Kills Five At Indiana State Fair Sugarland Show

This is no laughing matter. Our condolences to the families of the five victims.

Country duo Sugarland and singer Sara Bareilles have escaped unscathed after a powerful storm caused the stage at the Indiana State Fair to collapse on Saturday night, killing five people.

The tragic event, which occurred as fans waited for Sugarland to perform, followed an announcement by concerned organizers who warned that a storm was advancing.

It’s claimed the dust bowl smashed into the scaffolding and rigging, raining steel and dirt into the terrified audience. Winds were estimated between 60 and 70 miles-per-hour.

Four people died during the tragedy and a fifth died overnight, while 45 people were injured – many of them from the VIP section near the stage. Indiana State Police Sergeant Dave Bursten added that some of those injured were in “very serious” condition and conceded it was a “very likely possibility” that the death toll could mount.

Sunday’s activities have been scrapped, but the fair is expected to resume on Monday with a service to honor the victims of Saturday’s disaster. The Indiana State fair runs until August 21.

Sugarland, who were due to headline the event, have taken to their Twitter.com page to express their condolences.

In a message to fans, they write, “We are all right. We are praying for our fans, and the people of Indianapolis. We hope you’ll join us. They need your strength.”

And Bareilles, who had performed on the stage earlier, tweeted, “I’m speechless and feel so helpless. Please send love and prayers to Indianapolis tonight. My heart aches for the lives lost.”

It’s not the first time this year that something like this has happened, either. In early July, rockers Cheap Trick survived a similar stage collapse at one of their shows in Canada; and last week the Flaming Lips canceled their show in Oklahoma City after some of the stage rigging fell during a severe storm.