1 dead, 48 hurt after Illinois theater roof collapses during concert as tornado rips through Belvidere
The National Weather Service said that the EF-1 tornado's peak winds occurred in Belvidere, which caused the roof of the Apollo Theater to collapse.
Watch: Aerial video shows damage left behind after Illinois theater roof collapses
The roof of the Apollo Theatre in Belvidere, Illinois, collapsed Friday night as severe weather swept through the Chicago area, killing one person and injuring dozens of others.
BELVIDERE, Ill. – One person was killed Friday and 48 people were injured after an EF-1 tornado caused a roof of a theater in Belvidere, Illinois, to collapse as hundreds packed the floor for a concert.
A video on social media showed rescuers rushing to help those trapped under debris. In the footage, debris can be seen piled in front of the stage at the Apollo Theatre AC. As the camera tilts up, only a few beams remain where a roof once existed.
Video shows chaotic scene after roof collapse at Illinois theater
Video from inside the Apollo Theatre in Belividere, Iillinois, shows the chaotic scene after a roof collapsed during a concert amid severe storms in the area.
Many people are shown trying to sort through the rubble, lifting large pieces of the roof to free those trapped underneath. First responders and bystanders helped pull people from the debris, Schadke said.
"Help! Help!" a man can be heard shouting.
Alarm sounds blare in the background.
"Stay with me, okay? I am not leaving you," a man can be heard saying off-screen.
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Image 1 of 4Aerial video shows damage to the Apollo Theater in Belvidere, Illinois on March 31, 2023. ( )
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Image 2 of 4Aerial video shows damage to the Apollo Theater in Belvidere, Illinois on March 31, 2023. ( )
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Image 3 of 4Aerial video shows damage to the Apollo Theater in Belvidere, Illinois on March 31, 2023. ( )
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Image 4 of 4Aerial video shows damage to the Apollo Theater in Belvidere, Illinois on March 31, 2023. ( )
Belvidere Fire Chief Shawn Schadle told FOX Weather that more than 200 people were in the building at the time when it collapsed. Among the 48 injured, five suffered critical injuries, and 18 others had what Schadle described as moderate injuries. Many suffered broken bones and head injuries, Schadle said.
But all people have accounted for.
The bands Revocation, Skeletal Remains and Morbid Angel were set to perform at the venue. According to WFLD-TV, the roof collapsed during the middle of the concert.
One of the bands ended up canceling the event due to the incident as a severe weather outbreak swept through America's heartland Friday, spawning deadly tornadoes across multiple states.
The National Weather Service said Saturday that the EF-1 tornado was on the ground for nearly 28 miles and had wind speeds of 100 mph.
"Peak winds occurred in Belvidere, which caused the roof of the Apollo Theater to collapse," NWS Chicago said.
Radar images of the Belvidere, Illinois, area on March 31, 2023, show a storm that caused significant damage to a theater in the town.
(FOX Weather)