Number of State Fair tort claims reaches 50

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana’s attorney general says the number of tort claims filed alerting the state of possible lawsuits in the wake of the deadly State Fair stage collapse has now reached 50.

Attorney General Greg Zoeller’s (ZEL’-ur) office says five new notices were filed during the past week. Some include multiple claimants from the same family, while other family members filed their tort claims separately.

The filings are required before a lawsuit can be filed seeking a share of the $5 million available to victims under Indiana law.

More than 40 people were injured Aug. 13 when stage rigging collapsed in high winds before a scheduled State Fair concert by country duo Sugarland. Four people died immediately and three others later died from their injuries.