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High Winds Toss Event Tent at WVU Super Regional, Five Fans Hospitalized

A gust-driven tent collapse on a packed hillside prompted a mass-casualty response and underscores safety risks for outdoor crowds during severe storms.

Overview

  • During a weather delay on Saturday, powerful gusts tore through Randy’s Ridge at Kendrick Family Ballpark and blew a large Mountaineer Athletic Club tent into spectators.
  • West Virginia University and its police department confirmed that five people were transported to local hospitals for treatment after the incident.
  • MECCA 911 designated the scene a mass-casualty event and multiple agencies including campus police, local police, fire units, and EMS secured the area and treated the injured.
  • Play resumed after about a 90-minute delay and West Virginia beat Cal Poly 17–1 to advance to the Men’s College World Series, while university officials said they are coordinating with health-care providers to support those affected.
  • Eyewitness video and on-site accounts showed winds near 40 mph lifting tents and throwing people and equipment, raising questions about crowd safety and tent-anchoring rules at large outdoor gatherings.