The wind gust that toppled a stage at the Indiana State Fair Saturday night, killing five and injuring dozens of fans waiting for the country band Sugarland to perform, was a "fluke" that no one could have anticipated, the governor and others said Sunday.

The wind was far stronger than that in other areas of the fairgrounds, said Dan McCarthy, chief meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Indiana. He estimated the gust at 60 to 70 mph.

Gov. Mitch Daniels said precautions were taken before the storm, but no one could have foreseen such a strong gust focused in one place. Some witnesses have said that while a storm was expected, rain hadn't begun to fall when the wind sent the stage rigging falling into the crowd of terrified fans.

"This is the finest event of its kind in America, this is the finest one we've ever had, and this desperately sad, as far as I can tell fluke event doesn't change that," Daniels said.

Four people were killed when the metal scaffolding that holds lights and other stage equipment fell, and a fifth died overnight at a hospital, Indiana State Police 1st Sgt. Dave Bursten said. The county coroner's office identified the victims as Alina Bigjohny, 23, of Fort Wayne; Christina Santiago, 29, of Chicago; Tammy Vandam, 42, of Wanatah; and two Indianapolis residents: 49-year-old Glenn Goodrich and 51-year-old Nathan Byrd. Byrd died overnight.

Forty-five people were taken to hospitals, and some may have gone on their own, Bursten said. Indiana University Health said 12 of the 26 people treated at its hospitals were still there, including three at its children's hospital.

Officials said the state fair planned to reopen Monday and a public remembrance was slated at 9 a.m. for those killed.

NBC station WTHR reported up to 200 were seated in the outdoor VIP area called the "Sugar Pit" when the rigging collapsed around them at 8:50 p.m. ET.

About 12,000 people were at the concert.

Sugarland's lead singer Jennifer Nettles issued a statement on Sunday saying the band was "stunned and heartbroken for the fans and their families in Indiana. We hold those injured in our prayers at this very sad time. There are no words. It is tragic."

Thirty minutes before the collapse, opening act Sara Bareilles finished her set by commenting what a beautiful night it was, the Indianapolis Star reported.

Then a thunderstorm rolled through and wind gusts of 53 mph came up. Officials warned the audience that the concert could be delayed due to weather and the area could be evacuated. Moments later, the stage collapsed, witnesses and officials said.

"It was like in slow motion, you couldn't believe it was actually happening," said concert-goer Amy Weathers.

'Most traumatic thing I've ever seen'
"It was the most traumatic thing I've ever seen," witness Crystal Wilburess, told WTHR. "Everybody just came in together as a team," she said, describing hundreds of people rushing in to help lift heavy equipment off the injured.

Medics and rescue crews throughout Indianapolis converged on the State Fairgrounds after the Hoosier Lottery Grandstand stage rigging fell. Many fans and first responders rushed to lift rigging off those trapped beneath.

Fallen lighting rigging extended about 15 feet onto the track where the stage was set up.

Concert-goers told WTHR that a gust came from the west and rocked the rigging, causing some panic in the crowd prior to the stage's collapse. Evacuation efforts were already under way and the concert had been put on hold minutes before the collapse.

Bursten said preparations were in progress for an evacuation at the time of the collapse and personnel were being put in place in case officials decided an evacuation was necessary.

"The weather all-in-all was not extraordinarily severe," he said, noting the gust preceded a storm.

No time to order an evacuation
However, the wind gust came up so fast, there was no time to order the evacuation.

Concertgoer Emily Davis told the Star that officials mentioned an evacuation plan but never made an announcement to leave the scene. She said the accident happened very fast.

"They said, if need be, this is what we're going to do and somebody will come back out and tell you, but they didn't have time to come back out and tell us," she said.

Jason Scofield, who shot video of the rigging collapsing, told WTHR the announcement had just been made that they might have to evacuate. At that point, dust started blowing quickly.

"All of the sudden there was a second gust and the stage started to twist slowly. The grandstand started to shake. Everyone started to run instantly to try and get out," he said.

The overhead stage rigging collapses into the crowd in front of the stage at the Hoosier Lottery Grandstand at the Indiana State Fair. The collapse occurred before Sugarland took the stage.

Associated Press photographer Darron Cummings was in the audience attending the concert as a fan shortly before the collapse. He said an announcer gave the crowd instructions on how to evacuate if the weather worsened, but said they hoped to get Sugarland on stage soon.
Source:msn