Gov. Daniels: Indiana to share fair safety recommendations - 13 WTHR Indianapolis

Gov. Mitch Daniels said Thursday that Indiana will share what it has learned from the August 2011 State Fair tragedy so other states can benefit.

Daniels thanked Witt Associates and Thornton Tomasetti, the two firms that were hired to investigate the stage collapse that killed seven people and injured dozens of others at the Sugarland concert Aug. 13.

"I don't think we could have done better than these two world renowned firms. I thank them for their thorough and professional work," said Daniels.

He added, "the State Fair Commission knows that we will insist on immediate and complete implementation of the recommendations in this report. But it's also now clear that most, if not all states, have been deficient in this area and have much to learn from this tragedy. We will share freely all these findings and suggestions with any state who will listen, starting later this month at a national meeting in Indianapolis about national safety standards for outdoor temporary stages and structures. The meeting is being hosted here because of the State Fair accident."

"We'd give anything to have that night over, but occasionally something positive can come out of terrible tragedy, and we have to do all we can to make that happen here."