A portion of drywall fell from the ceiling of the Livestock Center at the Illinois State Fair Thursday afternoon, shortly after the conclusion of the Illinois Performance Tested Bull Sale.

According to the Illinois Department of Agriculture, no one was injured. Officials estimate the fallen drywall section to be approximately 2 feet by 4 feet, and it fell onto the wooden bleachers on the southwest corner of the facility.

IDOA issued this statement:

This afternoon the Department was notified that a small section of the drywall ceiling in the Livestock Center had fallen. Thankfully, an event was not occurring at the time and no one was injured. This incident was caused by damaged roof drains, recent heavy rains, and freezing weather the area has experienced. The Department is working diligently to get the damaged roof areas repaired so that the Illinois Beef Expo and the upcoming Illinois Horse Fair can continue as scheduled without further disruption. Repairing various roofs on the fairgrounds is a top priority of the Department of Agriculture and is one of the agency’s top capitol requests annually.

And while exhibitors at the Illinois Beef Expo have expressed concern regarding the safety of the facility, IDOA’s Morgan Booth says building and grounds staff have conducted an inspection of the roof. “They identified the source of the leak and made appropriate repairs. No further issues are expected.”

She adds, “The safety of patrons and guests is paramount on the Illinois State Fairgrounds, and the agency is confident this issue was an isolated event. Thus, ongoing and future events can continue safely in this facility.”

The falling drywall was witnessed by various exhibitors and attendees still in the facility, including WFMB’s Steve Bridge, who tweeted photos of the event.

Built in 1992, the Livestock Center was the centerpiece facility of the fairgrounds’ livestock barns, boasting air conditioning, sale rings, show rings, trade show space and seating for more than 900 people. Over time, the Livestock Center has fallen into the same kind of disrepair as the rest of the 175 buildings on the fairgrounds, where bad roofs and general poor condition have become the norm.

In his proposed budget, Governor Bruce Rauner requested $30 million to repair buildings on the Illinois State Fairgrounds. The Coliseum was condemned in October 2016, when two beams were dislodged from the ceiling and an engineering study revealed that structural columns had rusted away at their bases.

John Slayton, president of the Illinois Fairgrounds Foundation, says the foundation continues to seek donors and sell naming rights to repair and rehabilitate dilapidated barns and buildings. Most recently, a donor has come forward to pledge $40,000 to replace a Series 25 barn roof.