Dit "event" en de betekenis ervan voor B/NL komt a.s. zaterdag ook voorbij in mijn verhaal voor de stormchase bijeenkomst. Zeker is inmiddels wat ik a direct vermoedde - de constructie had bij juiste uitvoering van montage de wind kunnen doorstaan.
"A report released Feb. 8 by the Indiana Occupational Safety and Health Administration found that the stage scaffolding was not properly erected and that Mid-America had not inspected the rigging during its construction or after it was erected.
The agency issued more than $80,000 in fines for violations that occurred before the stage was hit by a blast of wind as country duo Sugarland was about to perform."
De NWS gaf een stevige warning uit ruim een kwartier voor de gebeurtenis en deze werd vijf minuten later omgeroepen op het festival terrein:
"At 8:39 pm EDT, The National Weather Service in Indianapolis issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for all of Marion County effective until 9:45 pm EDT. This specific severe thunderstorm cell was capable of producing winds in excess of 60 miles per hour (97 km/h) per the warning bulletin, and was heading eastward at approximately 25 miles per hour (40 km/h). According to the bulletin, the storms would be near Danville, Indiana, at approximately 8:50 pm EDT,[3] a city that is approximately 20 miles (32 km) west of The Indiana State Fairgrounds.
At approximately 8:45 pm EDT, Indiana State Police said that a warning was issued to the crowd in the grandstand suggesting that they may have to take cover due to the incoming severe weather. However, witnesses reported that those in the direct path of the collapsing fly system did not evacuate per the announcement."
Over hoe goed e.e.a. nu gecommuniceerd is en of er door andere aankondigingen (bv wel/niet uitstel optreden Sugarland, en over de bewoording van de waarschuwing "may have to take cover") verwarring is ontstaan is daarna voer voor stevige discussie geworden. Inmiddels lopen er "law suits" van bijna (!) alle betrokken partijen tegen andere partijen, inclusief een zgn. "class action law suit" van slachtoffers maar ook van getuigen (!) tegen de organisatie.
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