Five people were killed and dozens were injured when a stage collapsed at the Indiana State Fair right before country band Sugarland was to perform on Saturday night. The cause is speculated to be inclement weather (high winds).
“The wind just picked up and the stage just caught and the roof just caught and it went up like a sail and then it crashed forward into the people standing in the front,” said a reporter for WANE-TV in Indiana.
“There were people trapped underneath and everyone was running and screaming. They were asking any medics or nurses not to leave.”
Sugarland has since spoken out about the tragic incident via Twitter: “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.”
The concert’s opening act, Sara Bareilles, who performed before the collapse, also tweeted, “Please send love and prayers to Indianapolis tonight. My heart aches for the lives lost.”
Bareilles also apologized to fans in Iowa for canceling their show Sunday, writing, “Our apologies and gratitude to the people of Iowa for understanding our absence tonight from the scheduled show. We’ll hope to see you soon.”