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| London theatre collapse: scores injured at Apollo in West End | London theatre collapse: scores injured at Apollo in West End |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| More than 81 people have been injured, seven seriously, when part of a theatre in London's West End collapsed onto a packed audience during a performance. | More than 81 people have been injured, seven seriously, when part of a theatre in London's West End collapsed onto a packed audience during a performance. |
| Fire crews had to rescue people from the Apollo theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue, which was showing a performance of the hit show The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. | |
| The London ambulance service said there were approximately 81 casualties, including walking wounded. The seven people who were seriously injured have been taken to hospitals in central London. The police said they were not aware of any fatalities. Some people were initially trapped inside the theatre but they were all rescued from the building soon after the accident. | |
| The walking wounded were being taken into the foyer of the nearby Queens theatre, which was turned into a makeshift treatment centre. A number of the wounded were transported away from the scene to hospital using a red London bus, with a police escort. | |
| The collapse of part of the ceiling, which then brought down sections of a balcony, occurred at about 8pm. Part of the balcony started creaking before the collapse, and audience members assumed the noise was part of the show. | The collapse of part of the ceiling, which then brought down sections of a balcony, occurred at about 8pm. Part of the balcony started creaking before the collapse, and audience members assumed the noise was part of the show. |
| Rachel Williams said she was sitting four rows from the front when she heard creaking from the back of the theatre. "At first I thought it was part of the performance but then it got louder. I turned around and I saw a cloud of dust and rubble coming towards us. There's now lots of people wondering around in a daze covered in dust," she said. | Rachel Williams said she was sitting four rows from the front when she heard creaking from the back of the theatre. "At first I thought it was part of the performance but then it got louder. I turned around and I saw a cloud of dust and rubble coming towards us. There's now lots of people wondering around in a daze covered in dust," she said. |
| Witnesses said they saw people being escorted out of the building, covered in dust and debris. People left the building crying, coughing and helping each other away. | Witnesses said they saw people being escorted out of the building, covered in dust and debris. People left the building crying, coughing and helping each other away. |
| The London Fire Brigade's Nick Harding is at the scene of the theatre incident. He said: "We believe around 720 people were in the theatre at the time. A section of the theatre's ceiling collapsed onto the audience who were watching the show. The ceiling took parts of the balconies down with it. | The London Fire Brigade's Nick Harding is at the scene of the theatre incident. He said: "We believe around 720 people were in the theatre at the time. A section of the theatre's ceiling collapsed onto the audience who were watching the show. The ceiling took parts of the balconies down with it. |
| "Specialist urban search and rescue crews were also called to the scene to make sure no one was trapped. Fortunately all those who were trapped have been rescued and treated for injuries or taken to hospital. | "Specialist urban search and rescue crews were also called to the scene to make sure no one was trapped. Fortunately all those who were trapped have been rescued and treated for injuries or taken to hospital. |
| "A number of people were injured and ambulance crews are working hard to look after them. The latest information is that there were around 80 walking wounded, many of whom had head injuries. Around five have been taken to hospital with more serious injuries. | "A number of people were injured and ambulance crews are working hard to look after them. The latest information is that there were around 80 walking wounded, many of whom had head injuries. Around five have been taken to hospital with more serious injuries. |
| "In my time as a fire officer I've never seen an incident like this. I imagine lots of people were out enjoying the show in the run-up to Christmas. My thoughts go out to all those affected." | "In my time as a fire officer I've never seen an incident like this. I imagine lots of people were out enjoying the show in the run-up to Christmas. My thoughts go out to all those affected." |
| Theatre-goer Khalil Anjarwalla said he, his heavily pregnant wife and her parents managed to escape from the theatre safely after "kilos of concrete plummeted from the ceiling". | Theatre-goer Khalil Anjarwalla said he, his heavily pregnant wife and her parents managed to escape from the theatre safely after "kilos of concrete plummeted from the ceiling". |
| "I was in the upper circle with my family when, about 45 minutes in, people started shouting and screaming. We thought it was part of the play. But the ceiling was crumbling. Within an instant the whole roof seemed to come down. | "I was in the upper circle with my family when, about 45 minutes in, people started shouting and screaming. We thought it was part of the play. But the ceiling was crumbling. Within an instant the whole roof seemed to come down. |
| "We saw a lot of people completely covered in dust - I could hardly breathe. We had to get out, calmly. I remember thinking the cloud, the dust - it reminded me of those scenes from 9/11 in the aftermath of the building collapsing." | "We saw a lot of people completely covered in dust - I could hardly breathe. We had to get out, calmly. I remember thinking the cloud, the dust - it reminded me of those scenes from 9/11 in the aftermath of the building collapsing." |
| Anjarwalla, a businessman from Kenya who was visiting his in-laws with his English wife, Aliya, said: "The actors just seemed to run from the stage. They had obviously seen what had happened. Thankfully we are all OK. My wife is seven months pregnant but she is OK. | Anjarwalla, a businessman from Kenya who was visiting his in-laws with his English wife, Aliya, said: "The actors just seemed to run from the stage. They had obviously seen what had happened. Thankfully we are all OK. My wife is seven months pregnant but she is OK. |
| Police were on the scene within minutes and began cordoning off the theatre. | Police were on the scene within minutes and began cordoning off the theatre. |
| Andrew Howard-Smith, 68, said: "I saw the edge of the balcony come down, that's what I saw. We were on the balcony below. | Andrew Howard-Smith, 68, said: "I saw the edge of the balcony come down, that's what I saw. We were on the balcony below. |
| "In the production you had to hold on to the rail and lean over to see what was going on, and we were doing the same. | "In the production you had to hold on to the rail and lean over to see what was going on, and we were doing the same. |
| "Everybody must have got hold of the brass rail and just pushed it over, and then the edge came off. That was the only bit that came off, just the edge. It wasn't the whole of the balcony, just the front 2ft." | "Everybody must have got hold of the brass rail and just pushed it over, and then the edge came off. That was the only bit that came off, just the edge. It wasn't the whole of the balcony, just the front 2ft." |
| Libby Grundy, 65, said: "There was a bang, and then a huge cloud of dust. At first I thought it was a special effect. | Libby Grundy, 65, said: "There was a bang, and then a huge cloud of dust. At first I thought it was a special effect. |
| "I heard somebody on the stage say 'Oh bloody hell', because they must have seen it. | "I heard somebody on the stage say 'Oh bloody hell', because they must have seen it. |
| "And then people realised it must be some sort of emergency and people started getting up. People didn't panic. People were quite shaky when they got out. | "And then people realised it must be some sort of emergency and people started getting up. People didn't panic. People were quite shaky when they got out. |
| "There wasn't any screaming. People were scared, but they weren't screaming. | "There wasn't any screaming. People were scared, but they weren't screaming. |
| Martin Bostock, who was in the audience at the Grade II listed theatre with his family, said he suffered a head injury after he was hit by falling debris. | Martin Bostock, who was in the audience at the Grade II listed theatre with his family, said he suffered a head injury after he was hit by falling debris. |
| He told Sky News: "I was in the lower stalls with my family in the early stages of the show. It was just terrifying and awful. | He told Sky News: "I was in the lower stalls with my family in the early stages of the show. It was just terrifying and awful. |
| "I think the front part of the balcony fell down. At first we thought it was part of the show. Then I got hit on the head." | "I think the front part of the balcony fell down. At first we thought it was part of the show. Then I got hit on the head." |
| "It was complete chaos in the theatre. Absolutely terrifying and awful. We got out with cuts and bruises. I think most people did." | "It was complete chaos in the theatre. Absolutely terrifying and awful. We got out with cuts and bruises. I think most people did." |
| The prime minister, David Cameron, tweeted: "I've been updated regularly on the Apollo incident. I'm grateful for the fast work of the emergency services in helping the injured." | |
| A spokesman for London mayor Boris Johnson said: "He has spoken to the Met police commissioner and is liaising with the relevant agencies. His thoughts and prayers are with those involved in what is clearly a very serious incident." | |
| The Apollo theatre is a Grade II listed building in London's West End. Completed in February 1901, the theatre seats 755, and the balcony on the third tier is considered the steepest in London. It is not known whether it was this one which collapsed. | |
| A district surveyor from Westminster City Council was on the way to the scene to carry out structural assessment of the building. | A district surveyor from Westminster City Council was on the way to the scene to carry out structural assessment of the building. |
| It is thought the engineer, who will be accompanied by police officers, will spend most of the night getting access inside the theatre to ensure it is safe. | It is thought the engineer, who will be accompanied by police officers, will spend most of the night getting access inside the theatre to ensure it is safe. |
| Council leader Philippa Roe said: "We are obviously shocked to hear the news and our immediate concerns are with the people that have been injured. Our officers are on site and they will help emergency services wherever they can." | Council leader Philippa Roe said: "We are obviously shocked to hear the news and our immediate concerns are with the people that have been injured. Our officers are on site and they will help emergency services wherever they can." |
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