One Killed As Strong Storms Crash Tent Near St. Louis Stadium
By Samantha Abernethy in News on Apr 30, 2012 7:20PM
Strong storms hit St. Louis and southern Illinois on Saturday, and high winds toppled a beer tent near the Cardinals' Busch Stadium, killing one and injuring dozens. About 150 people were in the tent at Kilroy's Sports Bar celebrating the Cardinals' win over the Milwaukee Brewers. The tent was allegedly designed to withstand winds up to 90 mph, but an early report from the National Weather Service estimated the 6 p.m. storm's winds peaked at 53 mph.
The victim has been identified as Alfred Goodman, 58, of Waterloo, Ill. The cause of death has not been determined yet. As of Sunday, nine people were still hospitalized, with one person in critical condition. At least 100 people were examined at the scene.
During a press conference at the scene, about four hours later, [Deputy Fire Chief John] Altmann estimated that as many as 150 people were under the tent when the storm struck. He said he did not know why the tent failed, but he said inattention to weather reports may have added to the injuries."The music was loud, people had been, you know, in attendance at the ball game all afternoon, and I don't think they were aware of the seriousness of the situation," Altmann said. "I wish people would pay attention to the warnings and keep an eye on the sky."
Below is raw video from the scene.
The incident got the Taiwanese Animation treatment, showing how the tent crumpled and blew off the structure.