Storm rolls through St. Joe County Fair

ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind. -- The severe thunderstorm warnings all day had everyone on the look out, even the director of the St. Joseph County Fair.  He put his safety plan into action when dark storm clouds came rolling through the fairgrounds on Ironwood in South Bend.

President Lee Slavinskas said he made sure the county fair was not a repeat of last year's state fair disaster.

"Because of that, we are trying to ensure the safety of all our guests," said Slavinskas.

Slavinskas immediately put his action plan in place.

"We are making sure we get them in secure buildings and we are giving people the option if they want to hurry up and go home they can do that and we are issuing them wristbands," said Slavinskas.

Rides and outside vendors were shut down and hundreds of fair guests took shelter in this commercial building.

Folks at the fair were pretty upset when the rides were temporarily shut down.

"I was going to ride one of the rides but they told us we could not because the storm was going to be about 65 miles per hour," said fair guest Rose Harnden.

But they were glad the fair crew took precautions from the storm.

"I think they were really careful and cautious and I think that was really great of them to tell us, ‘No we couldn't,’" said Harnden.

Luckily the storm ended up blowing over in 45 minutes, and the rides were reopened.

"The winds were really blowing hard but again I think it's blown over by now."