At least one person has died and many others injured at an Illinois concert venue after a roof collapsed right after the show began, according to local outlets. Reports of a “mass casualty” event flooded in after the Apollo Theatre in Belvidere succumbed to brutal 90mph winds.
According to TheSun, Multiple people were seen being evacuated on stretchers and are awaiting ambulances, per local station Fox 17. The heavy metal band, Morbid Angel, was scheduled to begin performing at 7 pm.
About 30 minutes into the concert, a call came in that reported the collapse and multiple injuries, CBS News reports. A video posted on Twitter appeared to show the inside of the building, with a fire alarm sounding and people screaming for help.
Some attempted to work together to lift massive pieces of rubble while the person taking the video hoped a friend wasn’t underneath the stage. Outside of the theatre, bricks from the siding could be seen strewn across the road with more debris hitting parked cars.
“I’m not leaving you,” the person can be heard saying. The band released a devastating statement announcing that the concert had been canceled “due to a Tornado that hit the Venue.”
“We ask anyone who is still traveling to the venue to please seek shelter and stay safe,” Morbid Angel wrote, saying they are sheltering in place. “Right now our focus is on making sure everyone in the venue tonight is ok and gets home.”
Severe weather was due in the area, with strong winds reaching up to 90mph. Trees also came down on cars nearby, according to initial reports. Bricks were seen strewn around the street as trees were torn from their roots nearby.
A large group of people hovered behind yellow tape as first responders closed in on the scene. Law enforcement has not offered information on whether anyone was injured in the devastation. The theatre opened in 1921 to show stage plays and movies and has been used for live shows in recent years.
