2 dead, 22 hurt in New Hampshire tent collapse

Officials said two people were killed and at least 22 others were injured after a circus tent collapsed when a severe storm raked a New Hampshire fairground Monday night. State Police said most of the people were able to make it out safely.

WMUR-TV (http://bit.ly/1Hnh5WB) reported that state Department of Safety spokesman Michael Todd confirmed the fatalities.

The circus operator, Sarasota, Fla.-based Walker worldwide Events, did not immediately return a call seeking comment late Monday.

Degnan said authorities will be looking into the setup of the tent as part of the investigation.

About 250 people were inside the circus tent when it collapsed as a strong storm moved through the state, causing some injuries.

The collapse happened shortly after a scheduled 5:30 p.m. performance. The circus was scheduled to head to Bradford, Vermont, for shows on Tuesday and Wednesday.

New Hampshire Governor Maggie Hassan said on Twitter that the State Emergency Operations Center has been activated and a disaster response team was sent to Lancaster to help affected individuals.

The National Weather Service said severe thunderstorms were expected in the area on Monday evening. The Lancaster accident comes a day after high winds blew over a tent at a music festival in the Chicago suburb of Wood Dale, killing a 35-year-old man and injuring 15 others. Organizers ended the final day of the festival 30 minutes early Sunday night when another storm hit the area.