Victoria Bella, Daniel Barac Injured In Belvidere Roof Collapse At Apollo Theatre

Unsafe Premises - April 13, 2023

Victoria Bella, Daniel Barac Injured In Apollo Theatre Roof Collapse Accident During Concert of Morbid Angel —> GoFundMe Created To Help Victim

Victoria Bella, Daniel Barac Injured In Belvidere Roof Collapse At Apollo Theatre

BELVIDERE, ILLINOIS (April 12, 2023) – Victoria Bella and Daniel Barac were listed as some of the 40 people injured in a roof collapse accident at the Apollo Theatre during a concert for Morbid Angel.

Boone County officials are saying that the accident took place on Friday night, March 31st. Victoria Bella, Michelle Meyers, Daniel Barac and many other people were listening to a concert featuring Morbid Angel.

There was a severe storm going on outside while the band played. Numerous people reported hearing a big crack before tons of rubble and debris began pouring down on the crowd below.

Firefighters and paramedics were called to the scene of the collision in order to help all of the victims. Daniel Barac was one of the people freed from the rubble before being taken to the hospital with a fracture in his vertebrae.

Victoria Bella and Michelle Meyers were also injured in the roof collapse. You can help support Victoria Bella through this GoFundMe page.

You can help support Michelle Meyers through this GoFundMe page. A full investigation into the roof collapse at the Apollo Theatre remains ongoing at this time.

Liability For Belvidere Roof Collapse Accidents

Roof collapses are much more common in the winter months. Ice, snow and rain can accumulate on the tops of roofs thereby adding weight. According to CED Technologies, “These accumulations and rainfalls have created a chaotic situation not only on the roadways and sidewalks but also on structures such as residential homes and commercial buildings.  This heavier than normal weight can produce stress on a building’s roof structure to the point that the roof actually collapses, thereby compromising the structure.” There are several steps that property owners should take in order to prevent roof collapses.

  • Gutters and downspouts should be kept clear.
  • Snow should be promptly removed from the top of roofs.
  • Roofs should be regularly inspected and kept up to code.

Depending on the facts of any case a property owner could be liable for a roof collapse. Pursuant to Illinois Civil Code 740 ILCS 130/2, all property owners in Illinois have a legal obligation to maintain their premises in a reasonably safe condition. Property owners must periodically inspect their premises and take steps to prevent it from falling into disrepair. When a property owner has actual or constructive notice of a dangerous condition with their property, they must take action to remedy the situation. There are a number of ways that a property owner could have been negligent prior to a roof collapse.

  • A property owner could have exposed steel support beams thereby allowing them to rust and weaken.
  • A property owner may have failed to pay for needed repairs.
  • A property owner may have allowed a dangerous amount of rain or snow to accumulate on their roof.

Victims of roof collapses often suffer very serious and life-altering injuries. Many require extensive surgeries and may need to take time off work. Even after a victim’s physical injuries have healed, many victims suffer from long-term psychological injuries. Any person that is injured in a roof collapse may have legal recourse through a bodily injury claim. Damages in a civil claim can help cover lost wages, medical bills and pain and suffering.

Investigating A Belvidere Roof Collapse Accident

We at Horwitz Horwitz & Associates extend our best wishes to Victoria Bella, Michelle Meyers, Daniel Barac and all of the other people injured in this crash. It is our sincere hope that they will be able to make a full recovery. There needs to be a thorough investigation into what went wrong. Safety measures should be put in place to prevent other tragedies like this from happening.

Have you or someone that you care about been injured in an Illinois roof collapse accident? Our team of building safety advocates are here for you. We care deeply that accident victims get the medical and financial support that they are entitled to under the law. Whether you just have legal questions or need any type of support after an accident we may be able to help. You can reach out to us anytime at (312) 564-4256.