Two Dead, 32 Injured After Circus Tent Collapses in New Hampshire During Storm

By Kevin Byrne, AccuWeather.com Staff Writer

August 4,2015; 10:48PM,EDT

 

Two spectators were killed and at least another 32 people were injured Monday, as strong storms forced a circus tent to collapse in Lancaster, New Hampshire, according to the New Hampshire Director of Fire Safety.
The victims were later identified as 41-year-old Robert Young and his 8-year-old daughter Annabelle, of Concord, Vermont, New Hampshire Gov. Maggie Hassan said.
The New Hampshire State Fire Marshal's Office is investigating the incident, Fire Safety Director J. William Degnan said at a news conference late Monday night.
The National Weather Service Office in Gray, Maine, confirmed that the storm damage was consistent with that of a microburst.

Circus Tent Collapse Kills Two

The tent had more than 250 people inside, according to the Associated Press.
"Time and time again, tents have proven to be unsafe in high winds," Mike Smith, Senior Vice President for AccuWeather Enterprise Solutions said. "When a tornado or severe thunderstorm warning is issued for your area, please move to a more substantial structure. Your car would be safer than a tent."
Severe thunderstorms pushed through the Northeast on Tuesday afternoon and evening. A few miles east of Lancaster, there was a reported wind gust of 35 mph with almost an inch of rain, AccuWeather Meteorologist Brian Edwards said.
Officers surround the scene of a tent collapse in Lancaster, N.H., Monday, Aug. 3, 2015. Authorities say the circus tent collapsed when a severe storm raked the New Hampshire fairground. (Photo/Sebastian Fuentes via AP)
"A band of severe thunderstorms tracked across the area during the late afternoon with widespread wind damage occurring," Edwards said. "There were many reports of trees and power lines down with estimated wind gusts of 60 mph or greater."
Walker International Events was scheduled to do two shows Monday before moving on to Vermont on Tuesday, the AP reported.
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Hassan said the State Emergency Operations Center had been activated and state officials will continue to assist and monitor the situation.
Investigators would check "the construction of the tent and how it was set up," Degnan said.
The incident in New Hampshire comes just one day after one person was killed and several others were injured after a tent collapsed during a thunderstorm in suburban Chicago.
AccuWeather Staff Writer Mark Leberfinger also contributed to this story.