At least one person died and 28 others were injured after the roof of a theater in Illinois broke through during a concert when a monster storm system including deadly tornadoes tore through South and Midwest America on Friday. The tragedy took place at the Apollo Theatre in Belvidere during a heavy metal concert, where 260 people were present at the venue.
According to Belvidere fire officials, out of the 28 people taken to the hospital, five faced serious injuries. The Belvidere Police Department mentioned that calls began coming from the theater at 7.48pm and that an initial assessment was that a tornado had caused the damage.
Death metal bands Morbid Angel, Revocation, and Skeletal Remains were present at the venue. First responders also rescued a person from an elevator and had to face the power outage outside the theater, Belvidere Fire Department chief Shawn Schadle added.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has claimed that his administration is closely monitoring the incident and that he was in touch with officials for updates and to direct any available resources. The monster storm system that collapsed the roof also spawned deadly tornadoes that shredded homes and shopping centers in Arkansas, with much of the Midwest and South at risk for severe weather on Friday.