Seventh Victim Dies After Indiana Stage Collapse

Aug. 23, 2011— -- A seventh victim of the stage collapse at the Indiana State Fair has died after she was removed from life support so her organs could be donated.

Meagan Toothman, 24, of Cincinnati, died at 3:30 p.m. Monday, according to the Indiana State Police and the Marion County Coroner's Office. Doctors battled brain swelling after she suffered catastrophic injuries following the August 13 stage collapse.

Toothman was a cheerleading coach at Turpin High School in Cincinnati. She was put into a medically induced coma two days after the tragic stage collapse ahead of a performance by the band Sugarland.

Toothman's family said organ donation "will provide gifts of sight, health and life to dozens who are in need."

"Late last night it became apparent that our Meagan was no longer with us," the family wrote in an online journal. "The decision was made to allow to her to be at peace."

Along with several people who died immediately, at least four dozen others were injured by the stage crash in high winds during a concert Saturday night.

Nearly 12,000 people were gathered to watch a staple of state fairs, live country music, performed by the country music duo Sugarland. Minutes before the band was set to appear on the outdoor stage, winds of up to 70 mph blew down thousands of pounds of steel scaffolding, wooden beams, lighting, sound and other equipment.

The fair's reopening after a day of being closed came as state officials widened their investigation of the cause of the stage's collapse and what role the weather, particularly such a forceful gust wind, might have played.

While many people fled as the massive structure fell under the force of the winds, hundreds rushed to help the victims, many trying to lift the stage to free people trapped underneath.

"You had law enforcement, you had citizens, you had people jumping into lift pieces of equipment off the injured and the people who were killed in this tragic accident," State Police Sgt. Dave Bursten said.

The crowd had been warned that thunderstorms were approaching and that they might have to evacuate. But the same announcer said concert organizers hoped the show would go on, so many stayed put.

Two minutes later, just before 9 p.m., it was too late.

"The funnel cloud came in and all of a sudden it started twirling around and the next thing I knew, I looked over my shoulder and the stand started coming down," witness Jay Keiser said.

Officials said the accident was the worst at the Indiana fairgrounds since a 1963 explosion at the fairgrounds coliseum killed 74 people attending an ice skating show.

ABC News' Dean Schabner and The Associated Press contributed to this report.