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| Star Wars screening in Oxford evacuated after fire alarm goes off | Star Wars screening in Oxford evacuated after fire alarm goes off |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Hundreds of fans, some in fancy dress, were evacuated from a midnight screening of Star Wars: The Force Awakens after a fire alarm went off. | Hundreds of fans, some in fancy dress, were evacuated from a midnight screening of Star Wars: The Force Awakens after a fire alarm went off. |
| Cinemagoers said the screen went black and there was "loud noise" at the showing of the much-anticipated film at the Odeon in George Street, Oxford. | Cinemagoers said the screen went black and there was "loud noise" at the showing of the much-anticipated film at the Odeon in George Street, Oxford. |
| Matt Sumption, 23, who was dressed as Han Solo, said: "Suddenly everything cut out and there was a loud noise." | Matt Sumption, 23, who was dressed as Han Solo, said: "Suddenly everything cut out and there was a loud noise." |
| Odeon said: "We sincerely apologise for the disappointment." | |
| A company spokeswoman said: "Guests were evacuated as a safety precaution following the activation of our fire alarm system. | |
| "We're offering guests a full refund and will do everything to help them see the film as soon as possible." | |
| Updates on this story and more from Oxfordshire | Updates on this story and more from Oxfordshire |
| 'Chewbacca was outside' | 'Chewbacca was outside' |
| Mr Sumption, who is from Brighton but studying philosophy, politics and economics at Oxford University, said: "Everyone filed out, annoyed but still good-natured. | Mr Sumption, who is from Brighton but studying philosophy, politics and economics at Oxford University, said: "Everyone filed out, annoyed but still good-natured. |
| "There was a slight smell of burning. | "There was a slight smell of burning. |
| "It was quite surreal as I was dressed in my most dashing Han Solo outfit; there was Princess Leia and Chewbacca all outside." | "It was quite surreal as I was dressed in my most dashing Han Solo outfit; there was Princess Leia and Chewbacca all outside." |
| Mr Sumption said audience members were told to return to the cinema, but after sitting in front of a blank screen for half an hour were told to go home. | Mr Sumption said audience members were told to return to the cinema, but after sitting in front of a blank screen for half an hour were told to go home. |
| He said: "The communication was very poor. It wasn't clear if they knew what the problem was. | He said: "The communication was very poor. It wasn't clear if they knew what the problem was. |
| "Staying up, with all your friends, it's something people were really looking forward to so this was a disaster." | "Staying up, with all your friends, it's something people were really looking forward to so this was a disaster." |
| Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service said the call to the cinema was a false alarm. |