Ohio tent company faces lawsuit

South Akron Awning Co. and the board of the Westmoreland Fair are defendants in a lawsuit after two siblings were injured in a tent collapse, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

The siblings were among several in a tent at the Westmoreland Fair in 2005 when a severe storm blew in, collapsing the tent. Five people were treated for injuries, including Nicholas and Taylor Gephart. Nicholas was treated for a fractured shoulder; Taylor was treated for a concussion. The Gepharts are now seeking unspecified damages and reimbursement for medical costs.

The siblings claim that the fair board should have ensured the safety of the tent in severe weather conditions and should have had proper evacuation procedures in place.

According to the lawsuit, the fair board did not “properly warn patrons/invitees of the Westmoreland Agricultural Fair of the existence of dangerous and defective materials used in the construction, maintenance and assembly of the tent, specifically with regard to the inadequate strength and stability of the tent during inclement and/or adverse weather conditions.”