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A person was killed and 28 others injured when the roof and marquee of the Apollo Theatre collapsed amid a severe weather warning during a concert in Belvidere, Illinois, on Friday evening.
The sold-out concert, which included death metal bands Morbid Angel, Revocation, Crypta, and Skeletal Remains, began at 7 p.m. The collapse occurred about 30 minutes into the concert while Skeletal Remains was performing.
According to Belvidere Fire Chief Shawn Schadle, five individuals were rushed from the scene with severe injuries, 18 with moderate injuries, and five more with minor injuries, reported CBS.
Schadle said that in addition to clearing the theater, first responders were called to deal with gas leaks, downed powerlines, and trees, and they rescued someone from an elevator.
The fire chief noted around 10 p.m. to reporters that while the area had a tornado warning, he had no current information about whether a tornado actually came through the area.
Initial reports cite severe storms with 90 mph winds blowing through the area around the time of the collapse. The capacity of the theater is around 1,500, and about 260 people were inside, including the crowd, the staff, and the bands.
Video footage from the scene circulating on social media shows the marquee collapsed to the ground, along with a large portion of the bowstring truss roof. Bricks were also seen scattered in the middle of the street, with some debris landing on nearby cars.
Inside the theater, the ceiling right in front of the stage collapsed, leaving the space open to the outside with lightning flashing.
