Stage rigging collapses at Indiana State Fair

[len]

Here's what was in today's NY Times.


"Even as the metal rigging high above a packed concert here began to shudder, Indiana State Fair officials were walking toward the stage, preparing, they said, to order the crowd to evacuate to avoid an arriving storm.

“We were en route,” Cynthia Hoye, the fair’s executive director, recalled on Monday, after a somber memorial service to remember the five people who died and dozens of others who were hurt on Saturday night when the overhead rigging collapsed during the state fair show.

Here's one more thought: Let's say an announcement had been made. Even 30 minutes earlier. Do you think that the crowd would have cleared? Some would have left, but I bet a good portion of those in that "pit" downstage would have tried to wait it out. And even if they did leave or were forced to leave, would they have sufficiently cleared out in time? Would the area the stage collapsed onto been empty?

Not saying that an evacuation shouldn't have been called, but I'm just wondering if sufficient security was in place for a quick exit situation.

And one other thing: Let's be thankful that there are a lot of outdoor shows that go off completely without a hitch. Lollapalooza x 20 for example.

 

[derekleffew]

ANSI/ESTA/PLASA standard BSR E1.21 - 201x, Entertainment Technology — Temporary Ground-Supported Structures Used to Cover the Stage Areas and Support Equipment in the Production of Outdoor Entertainment Events is now in public review until 11 Oct 2011:
TSP - Published Documents - About TSP Documents, Published Documents, Public Review Documents, Procedural Documents .

"To participate in the review of these documents, please download the necessary forms and documents by using the links provided."

 

[JD]

A question that jumped out at me early was "Why were the spot ops sent up?" (One I was thinking myself.) But maybe we're looking at this the wrong way. There was a pre-show. Maybe they never came down. Having run spot on a high tower, there is always the question in your mind as to if it is worth it to be climbing down and back up during the 30 minute or so break. I do not know what their schedule was, and if it was only a 30 minute break, but it may explain why they were up there.

 

[mstaylor]

It is my understanding they were just getting there.I am looking for confirmation.

 

[toproy]

Even if it was impossible to lower the roof (due to the tons of PA, screen and truss hanging off of it) within the time frame of the approaching storm, an evacuation should have been ordered. At the very least, the area around the stage, in the "crash zone", should have been cleared. It is CLEAR that there is a dire need for rules that give absolutely authority to someone (who that someone should be, I don't have the experience to say) to make the cancel call.

You know guys? I praise myself for having been trained by some of the best folks in the show industry. All were American and I have always been very very proud of the things they set as Standards for the Mexico show industry.

I was a production Director for OCESA, OCESA Presents for a number of years. But my point is that I do not what happened to my "masters."

Almost every production I have attended to here in the USA seems to lack all the basic principles that were thought to me.

The people who thought me how to erect a ground support would have lowered the roof or ordered an evacuation the moment the wind picked up and they would have known it was going to pick up minutes before...

What happened guys? Why does it seem that all the production minimal safety standards have made way to profit? I mean, I know our industry like any other is cut throat but...

The production guy who made comments to the TV station says that "there was a lot of pressure" and he is talking about a 20K Pax arena aprox...

20k Pax was my medium venue (Palacio de los Deportes) and my big one was 62K Pax... (Foro Sol) and yes... I know millions of dollars are on the line, but when you only thing gold... eventually someone else will pay with his/her life. And that is just a rule.

The show must go on... certainly... but I have worked with roofs down, it is not the end of the world. And I have also canceled events due to terrible weather. So if I learned from the best and I have been able to do this... what the heck happened here?

The chief rigger normally has authority to lower the roof, the production manager has complete authority to do anything from cancel the show to lower the roof, to order the tarps removed (which would have been a bad idea in hindsight).

But OK, so fine... you loose a roof and millions of dollars of Backline, lights, sound, monitors, monitor consoles, microphones, and all that is there on the stage. That can be called an "accident" even a "freak accident" if you are so inclined...

But having spot operators up there in those weather conditions, is borderline criminal and negligent to say the least.

 

[toproy]

A question that jumped out at me early was "Why were the spot ops sent up?" (One I was thinking myself.) But maybe we're looking at this the wrong way. There was a pre-show. Maybe they never came down. Having run spot on a high tower, there is always the question in your mind as to if it is worth it to be climbing down and back up during the 30 minute or so break. I do not know what their schedule was, and if it was only a 30 minute break, but it may explain why they were up there.

It is rare that the truss spots are used on an opening, at least in most of my shows. It happens, but it is rare.

I would think that the spot ups were sent up after the opening, but you are right. When they do use them for the opening, they normally raise up their ladder and stay up there until the main show. I even once tied myself to the truss and took a nap that I had to be waken up from... Not a very bright idea... I know... but heck... I was 17.

 

[Esoteric]

It is rare that the truss spots are used on an opening, at least in most of my shows. It happens, but it is rare.

I would think that the spot ups were sent up after the opening, but you are right. When they do use them for the opening, they normally raise up their ladder and stay up there until the main show. I even once tied myself to the truss and took a nap that I had to be waken up from... Not a very bright idea... I know... but heck... I was 17.

Hahaha... You know what? I did the same thing once. Woke up to something bright in my face, the LD had turned on an ERS and other op was shining it at me to get me to wake up.

 

[toproy]

Don't know who put them up there, but I told an IA supervisor, a shows producer, and the steward on site to "F*&$ off" when they told me to climb a metal spot tower when I could see lightening 100-200 or so yards in the distance.

This might have been a little different, and I am not blaming these poor spot ops, but at some point you have to be responsible for your own safety. No show or job is worth dying over.

I am hoping that the IA guys here (and I get this feeling from what I have heard about this local) just had no clue as to what was coming.

I agree with you Esoteric, we are all individually responsible for our own roncus well-being but you know these guys up there trust us with "More experience" and "authority" to make certain decisions and feel safe that we make them.

For me the responsibility is always with whoever tells the guys... "get up there" from checking that the structure is properly grounded, to making sure they are wearing their safety gear which you know very well they try not to use many times.

And the guy trying to make ends meet with 2 teen boys and being a single dad is very unlikely to object to your order of getting up there if that could mean to him that he wont be able to put food on the table. I know... makes no sense, now those two teens are alone in the world... and it is as sad as can be... but that is the psychology of the crew, they trust us with chops to make the judgment calls for them many times.

 

[toproy]

Hahaha... You know what? I did the same thing once. Woke up to something bright in my face, the LD had turned on an ERS and other op was shining it at me to get me to wake up.

They tried to wake me up trough the head sets but they finally had to wash me with a Xenon Super Trooper... that did the trick

 

[bullseye]

Read below

 

[dvsDave]

Jim, from jimonlight.com posted a link to a new video from inside the Indiana State Fair / Sugarland Stage Collapse.

Warning, audio is NSFW and the video is disturbing. I'm not embedding it on purpose.

Inside the SugarLand stage collapse - YouTube

Jerky video at the beginning, then the guy puts the smartphone in his pocket and all you get is audio. 11 minutes worth of audio of him and a doctor trying (and succeeding) to save a little boy. The boy was brought to ICU with a broken back, a shattered right foot, collapsed lung, and open head wounds. He just got out of Pediatric ICU today (status updates here: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/bradleyhumphrey/journal/ )

 

[Van]

Wow, that is, well i was going to say very hard to watch but I couldn't watch it all. That guy is to be hailed for running in as others ran out.
I'm gonna go cry for a bit now.

 

[dvsDave]

I forced myself to watch/listen to the whole thing so I could give an accurate summary of what to expect. I cried too. I don't expect I'll sleep much tonight, except that I know the boy is alive.

 

[DaveySimps]

So horrible. I could not make it through even half of it. Too disturbing. It ranks up there with the video where you can he the people who are on fire screaming in the Station nightclub fire.

~Dave

 

[dvsDave]

Re: Stage Collapse at Pukkelpop Music Festival in Hasslet, Belgium during severe weat

Updates. updated info comes from David Fox (Twitter, got fox? )

Indiana State Fair Emergency Plan was just 1 page.
Indiana State Fair emergency plan is just 1 page - Yahoo! News

Guy Wires were in place, unlike earlier speculation.

Indiana Governer Mitch Daniels appoints outside firm to review the state fair issues:
Ind. gov. hires outside firm to review fair issue - Timesonline.com: National:

 

[MistressRach]

Re: Stage Collapse at Pukkelpop Music Festival in Hasslet, Belgium during severe weat

Apparently, earlier articles stating that the fair should have hired a meteorologist were misinformed. It appears they had one and failed to listen to him.

...fair staff had access to Doppler radar through the National Weather Service and a meteorologist who was on hand.

On Monday, state fair spokesperson Andy Klotz told Fox 59 News that the meteorologist at the event warned concert officials more than a half hour before the stage went down.

"At 8:15 he said the weather was coming," Klotz said.

According to Klotz the meteorologist said the weather would likely cause the concert to be postponed. At that point Klotz said he admitted that the decision could have been made to evacuate.

From: Meteorologist, author says Indiana State Fair stage collapse was a needless tragedy - fox59.com

 

[dvsDave]

Re: Stage Collapse at Pukkelpop Music Festival in Hasslet, Belgium during severe weat

Apparently, the message has been getting heard. Missouri State Fair remains without power after overnight storm - KansasCity.com

 

[rochem]

It appears as though the collapse has claimed a sixth victim. Jennifer Haskell, a 22 year old college student who passed away this morning.

Indiana State Fair stage collapse claims sixth victim - latimes.com

 

[Pie4Weebl]

Looks like the media is starting to pick up on the lack of regulation:
In TN, outdoor concert stages get little scrutiny | The Tennessean | tennessean.com

 

[mstaylor]

The picture they used of Darius looks like a Mountain Stage. That is apples and oranges. It is not a self climbing Thomas style roof. It has a suspended roof off towers of some substance. Small towers are usually around 27x35. There is usually a wind wall upstage that ties to the side towers. A small one is 14x stage width. The last one I built had concrete ballast in the side towers and water ballast upstage.
I'm not saying it can't sustain damage but because of shear mass and footprint it is unlikely to collapse.
Also, all their stage designs are approved by engineers if I remember correctly.