WARNING: The video above shows a stage collapsing on a crowd and may be disturbing.
Awesome 29-year-old LGBT-health advocate Christina Santiago was among those who died Saturday night when a flimsy stage at the Indiana State Fair collapsed during a windstorm, killing four others and injuring Santiago’s girlfriend Alisha Marie Brennon along with 44 others. This is why we don’t go state fairs anymore.
The crowd had been waiting to see country-music duo Sugarland Saturday night when 60-70 mph winds caused the metal scaffolding, lights and other stage equipment to come toppling down.
Santiago (pictured far left with Brennon) had long list of badassery including serving as the programming manager for the Lesbian Community Care Project at Chicago’s Howard Brown Health Center, participating in Amigas Latinas, and being featured in the Windy City Times’ 2007 “30 Under 30” list.
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Governor Mitch Daniels called the windstorm a “fluke” and fair organizers say that their on-site meteorologist and the National Weather Service only predicted 40 mph winds. But AccuWeather meteorologist Mike Smith told CBS News, “It was very predictable. We put out a warning for 60 mile-an-hour winds a full half-hour before the stage collapse occurred.”
Our meteorologist predicts a coming storm of lawsuits.
Greenluv1322
She was so cute…an such a good person. So sad…*tears*
Jewed Law
Because civil lawsuits are what makes this world go round and round. When will people accept that tragedy does not have to sound like a cash register cha-chinging? Oh yeah, when ambulance-chasers stop chasing ambulances.
missanthrope
@Jewed Law:
What an inappropriate time to make a petty political point.
Michael
@Jewed Law: Yes, because all stages should be able to collapse like a $10 IKEA chair under 60mph winds.
Solid engineering.
Yadira Sandoval
Siento mucho lo que le ha pasado a Christina Santiago, hemos perdido a un angel muy valioso. espero que ahora todos nos unamos para hacer de esos eventos mas seguros, debemos presionar para que nuestros representantes no solo esten sentados haciendo politica en sus escritorios sino que hagan leyes en donde se protejan a los seres humanos, si hay leyes para la crueldad animal asi tambien se debe hacer leyes para estos caso, Christina tu muerte no quedara impune estoy segura que todos unidos haremos cambios profundos.
A girl
Just a sad day for everyone involved. Love and prayers to the families of the victims. Also to the victims still trying to cling to life prayers to you also, and bravo to those of you who attempted to save them.
mbsaravana
I saw that video and saddened about that.. The warning should have been taken seriously.. 40 or 60 miles per hour… the event managers should have prepared for wind more than 120 miles per hour..