The roof of a heavy metal concert in Illinois collapsed during a storm, killing one person and injuring 28.
Police in Belvidere, about 50 miles west of Chicago, blamed the tornado and described the scene as “absolute chaos.”
It happened as a violent storm battered the South and Midwest of the United States, causing widespread damage to homes and businesses, Kill at least six other people.
Belvedere Fire Chief Shawn Schadle said there were 260 people in the Apollo Theater when it collapsed around 7:48 p.m. local time Friday.
He said emergency crews had to deal with downed power lines outside the venue and had to rescue people from elevators.
Arkansas declares state of emergency
“I was there within a minute before it came down,” Gabriel Llewellyn told local station WTVO-TV.
“The wind, as I walked towards the building, it went from zero to a thousand in five seconds.”
Witnesses described chaos at the venue
Ms Lewellyn said people at the show helped rescue victims from the rubble.
“They dragged a man out of the rubble, and I sat with him, held his hand, and I (told him) ‘everything will be alright,'” she said. “I really don’t know what to do.”
Another witness told NBC5 Chicago: “Everyone was trying to get out of the whole lot through the fire doors.
“It was chaos so I looked around and saw people in the rubble and tried to help as many people as possible.”
Five of the 28 people were seriously injured, authorities said.
It was not immediately clear which band, if any, was in the act on Friday night when the collapse occurred.
Watch drone footage of the devastation in Wayne, Arkansas
Morbid Angel said they “sheltered in place” after the incident, while Crypta band member Taina Bergamaschi said on Instagram that all performances were “safe and sound”.
Thunderstorms and tornadoes injured dozens of people and damaged homes, causing roofs to collapse in Arkansas, where a state of emergency was declared, and states including Iowa and Indiana.
a week later Tornadoes with winds of up to 200 mph also flattened parts of Mississippikilling at least 21 people and destroying many houses.