(RNN) - The city is investigating the construction of a tent that collapsed at a party to celebrate a St. Louis Cardinals win after a man died during a sudden, strong storm Saturday afternoon.
The man, whose name officials did not release, suffered a heart attack after a strong storm blew through the area.
It was not clear if the man suffered the heart attack because of being struck by flying debris caused by winds that were estimated at more than 60 mph by spectators.
However, investigators have raised questions as to the safety of the structure that he and hundreds of other people were under after it collapsed in the storm that produced tennis ball-sized hail and high wind gusts.
The city requires tents to withstand much stronger winds than those sustained in the storm.
"Our tent guidelines require the manufacturer's specifications on the tent to be able to withstand it (wind) up to 90 miles per hour," said St. Louis Building Commissioner Frank Oswald. "Clearly, it did not withstand it in this situation."
Sixteen other people had been hospitalized after they were celebrating under the tent after the Cardinals beat the Milwaukee Brewers. Medical personnel treated 100 people at the scene.
Five people who went to the hospital in critical condition have been downgraded to serious, said Eddie Roth, the city's director of public safety.
Fire officials said a few hundred people were celebrating in or near the tent, set up at Kilroy's Bar near the stadium.
"We had live wires lying on the ground. We have severe injuries to quite a few people," said St. Louis Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson. "This gives us nightmares."
Strong storms also hit other parts of Missouri and reached as far as Illinois later in the evening.
Copyright 2012 Raycom News Network. All rights reserved.
St. Louis Building Commissioner Frank Oswald said the tent that collapsed at a party outside Busch Stadium on Saturday did not meet the city's guidelines. (Source: KMOV/CNN)
One person died in a tent accident while fans were celebrating a St. Louis Cardinals victory (Source: KSDK/CNN)
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