Was the Indiana Stage Collapse a Fluke?

By now, most of you have probably already seen this video, but just as a reminder, here is raw video from the Indiana State Fair last Saturday showing the temporary stage for a Sugarland concert collapse after a strong gust of wind from a severe thuderstorm.

By now you also probably have already heard the stories of people going into the wreckage trying to save lives and get wounded people quick medical attention.  5 people died in the collapse that Indiana governor Mitch Daniels called a "fluke."  In all honesty though, was it really a fluke?  For several days in advance of the concert (and the state fair), the National Weather Service had predicted a possible severe weather event with strong winds and hail for that Saturday night.  On the day of the event, the Weather Service had issued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch, which indicates that conditions are favorable for severe thunderstorm development.  At 8:39, the Weather Service issued a Severe Thuderstorm Warning, which indicates that severe weather conditions are imminent or are already occuring.  The stage collapse occured at 8:49.  However, in spite of the official warning, the show must go on.  I'm sure those people in the stands paid a pretty penny to see Sugarland perform.  They don't play concerts for free.  Therefore, despite the warning, and the extremely ominous sky, event organizers decided that it was more important that people get their money's worth on their tickets and not take necessary safety precautions like finding shelter.  10 minutes after the warning, CRASH!  The governor has called this a "fluke" event, but in reality, it wasn't.  This was a well-predicted meteorological event the destructive nature of which cannot be overlooked.  The number one priority should have been safety.  Allow the storm to pass, then restart the concert.  If you have to postpone it, you postpone it.  People get rainchecks on baseball games all the time for the same reason.  If the band's busy schedule will not allow a postponement, well, then sorry.  Give everybody their refund. 

When a severe thunderstorm warning is issued, the number one thing to do is find an interior room of the house AWAY FROM WINDOWS.  Why do you get away from windows?  Simply, strong gusts of wind can break the glass.  Glass is fragile, just like a temporary stage that was going to be taken down not too long after the concert ended anyway.  It was not designed to withstand 65 mph wind gusts.  If the severe thunderstorm were to develop into a tornado (not uncommon in the midwest as many of you probably know), you move to the lowest interior room in the house.  Does this mean that the very fact a warning was issued means your house will get blown away?  No, it doesn't, but all it takes is one time for disaster to strike.  A stage is just a stage.  A house is just a house.  They can be rebuilt.  You don't take chances with people's lives.  Let this be a lesson to future state fair organizers who choose to bring Sugarland (or any other band) to be their featured act.