BELVIDERE, Illinois : At least one person has died and 28 others are injured after the roof collapsed during a sold-out concert at the Apollo Theatre in Belvidere, Illinois, as severe storms raced through the area on Friday evening.
Roof collapses during concert by Morbid Angel at the Apollo Theatre in Belvidere, Illinois. There are reports of multiple victims #morbidangel #apollotheatre #belvidere #illinois #tornado #storm #weather #breakingnews
credit Crime with Bobbyhttps://t.co/h7pfXIOvPO pic.twitter.com/Err1CwIlcS— SubX.News (@SubxNews) April 1, 2023
The collapse occurred around 30 minutes into the concert which began at 7 p.m. and featured death metal bands Morbid Angel, Revocation, and Skeletal Remains.
According to reports gathered from local media sources, severe storms with 90 mph winds blew through the area, causing the roof of the theatre to collapse. The first call came in as a mass-casualty collapse, with multiple ambulances being called to the scene by the Boone County sheriff’s office.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker released the following statement regarding the collapse:
“My administration is closely monitoring the roof collapse at the Apollo Theatre in Belvidere tonight. I’ve been in touch with officials for updates and to direct any available resources we can. As we learn more, please follow the guidance of all local authorities.”
???????? | #AHORA • Un muerto y 28 heridos luego de que techo colapsara durante concierto en el Teatro Apolo de Belvidere, Illinois; el incidente ocurrió durante una alerta de tornado. https://t.co/WZHUIVpKJB pic.twitter.com/IzNEEB0RDR
— ALERTAS MUNDIAL ????️ (@AlertasMundial) April 1, 2023
Belvidere Fire Chief Shawn Schadle confirmed that five people were rushed from the scene with severe injuries, 18 with moderate injuries, and five more with minor injuries.
The theater’s marquee and facade crashed onto State Street, littering the area with bricks and debris as first responders scrambled to help the wounded.
Around 260 people were inside the theater at the time of the incident. Video footage from the scene showed the marquee and a large portion of the large bowstring truss roof collapsed to the ground, with bricks and debris scattered in the middle of the street. Some debris even landed on nearby cars.
The show was immediately canceled after the collapse, and the venue was evacuated. The Apollo Theatre management expressed its condolences to the family of the deceased and urged everyone to keep the injured in their thoughts and prayers.
Illinois state Rep. Dave Vella (D-Loves Park) said he was out to dinner with his wife in nearby Rockford, and rushed to Belvidere once he found out about the collapse.
“It’s just horrific what’s happened. Apollo Theatre is one of the heritage places around here, and this damage is just heartbreaking,” Vella said.
