Tent collapses during Virginia church's 20th anniversary celebration, killing 1 and injuring 22

[mahatmakanejeeves]

I've been through Moneta a bunch of times.

Tent collapses during Virginia church’s 20th anniversary celebration, killing 1 and injuring 22

The Associated Press
June 12, 2026, 11:53 PM

A large tent collapsed during a Virginia church’s 20th anniversary celebration on Friday evening, killing one person and injuring nearly two dozen others, officials said.

Heavy rain, lightning and strong winds tore through Moneta, a small community about 124 miles (200 kilometers) southwest of Richmond, as the EastLake Community Church was holding an outdoor service, Shelley Basinger, a spokesperson for Bedford County, said in a statement. The group was in the process of leaving the event tent when it collapsed, according to Abbey Johnston, acting chief of Bedford County Fire and Rescue

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