The legal fight over the Indiana State Fair stage collapse has begun. An attorney who’s filed a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of one of the victims says that no one needed to die when the stage collapsed last week, killing seven.
Flimsy stage construction and failure to take simple precautionary measures — such as hiring a private meteorologist, or heeding weather warnings — directly led to the tragedy, he contends.??”This stage was erected without any inspections or permits,” injury attorney Kenneth J. Allen told The Times on Saturday. “It’s outrageous.”
A spokesman for the Indiana State Fair contacted by The Times said he would not comment on Allen’s allegations, or discuss anything related to the pending investigation. State officials could not be reached for comment Saturday, but Indiana newspapers have reported that two outside firms have been hired to investigate why the stage collapsed one week ago today and came crashing down on fans at a Sugarland concert.

Allen’s lawsuit, filed in Indiana state court against the event organizers, alleges that organizers “did not reasonably exercise due care in the design, set-up, configuration, layout and construction of the concert stage area.” The complaint says the the concert stage was also overloaded with equipment, improperly configured and failed to meet safety guidelines, including those mandated by Occupational Safety and Health Administration.