Excerpts from wsiltv.com:
One person was killed and 28 others were injured after a full roof collapse at the Apollo Theatre in Belvidere, Illinois, on Friday evening. Approximately 260 people, including guests, performers and staff, were inside the venue for a metal rock concert at the time of the collapse.
Belvidere is in northern Illinois, approximately 14 miles outside the city of Rockford. Despite severe weather in the region, there were no reports of an actual tornado hitting the area, Belvidere Fire Chief Shawn Schadle said.
During their initial response, crews coming into the building assisted in getting people out from under the debris. Crews established a triage center and relocation point for victims. Twenty-eight people were transported by ambulance to nearby hospitals. Five had severe injuries; 18 had moderate injuries; and five had minor injuries.
An investigation into the collapse is ongoing.
Excerpts from rockrivercurrent.com:
Gov. JB Pritzker visited The Apollo Theatre on Sunday where he praised concert-goers and emergency personnel for their quick actions Friday after a tornado ripped the roof off the historic structure.
He was in town to survey the damage and pledge the state’s support to Belvidere’s recovery efforts. His visit came one day after issuing a disaster proclamation, which paves the way for state funding and other resources to help residents and businesses affected by the powerful storms. The disaster proclamation includes Boone, Crawford, DuPage, Marion, and Sangamon counties.
The National Weather Service confirmed an EF-1 tornado ripped a path from Davis Junction to Belvidere, culminating in the collapse of the Apollo’s roof during a concert. The collapse killed Fred Livingston Jr., a 51-year-old father of three. There were 48 other people injured, including five who remain in critical condition.
The injuries sustained have not been specified, but the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Director said they were from blunt-force trauma and other soft-tissue wounds.
