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| Part of Ceiling Collapses During Sold-Out Show at London Theater | Part of Ceiling Collapses During Sold-Out Show at London Theater |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| LONDON — At least seven people were seriously hurt and 81 were lightly injured, according to fire and medical officials, when part of the ceiling of a tall Edwardian theater collapsed Thursday night during a sold-out performance. | |
| A large part of the ornate plaster ceiling came down around 8:15 p.m., just before the first intermission in the packed Apollo Theater on Shaftesbury Avenue, a four-story Edwardian building with three interior balconies that opened in 1901. | A large part of the ornate plaster ceiling came down around 8:15 p.m., just before the first intermission in the packed Apollo Theater on Shaftesbury Avenue, a four-story Edwardian building with three interior balconies that opened in 1901. |
| The London Ambulance Service said it treated 81 people with minor injuries, and seven with more serious ones. | The London Ambulance Service said it treated 81 people with minor injuries, and seven with more serious ones. |
| Nick Harding of the London Fire Brigade said that about 720 people were in the building and that four were injured “quite seriously” when the ceiling fell, bringing down part of the balconies. Another 76 were “walking wounded,” suffering from blows to the head, abrasions, cuts and shock. The more lightly injured were treated in a triage system quickly set up in the foyer of the neighboring Gielgud Theater, and then brought for checkups to local hospitals in commandeered double-decker buses. | Nick Harding of the London Fire Brigade said that about 720 people were in the building and that four were injured “quite seriously” when the ceiling fell, bringing down part of the balconies. Another 76 were “walking wounded,” suffering from blows to the head, abrasions, cuts and shock. The more lightly injured were treated in a triage system quickly set up in the foyer of the neighboring Gielgud Theater, and then brought for checkups to local hospitals in commandeered double-decker buses. |
| The theater has been presenting “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,” which was adapted from a mystery novel and is one of London’s most popular plays. | The theater has been presenting “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,” which was adapted from a mystery novel and is one of London’s most popular plays. |
| The collapse also brought down lights and rigging, and a large part of the ceiling fell nearly four stories onto the people sitting in the lowest level. Witnesses described a tapping or cracking sound, which many thought was part of the play, and then saw movement from those in the first rows of the balconies, before a large piece of ceiling smashed down, cutting the main lights and producing big clouds of dust, screaming and panic. | The collapse also brought down lights and rigging, and a large part of the ceiling fell nearly four stories onto the people sitting in the lowest level. Witnesses described a tapping or cracking sound, which many thought was part of the play, and then saw movement from those in the first rows of the balconies, before a large piece of ceiling smashed down, cutting the main lights and producing big clouds of dust, screaming and panic. |
| Steve George, who manages a movie theater, took his wife to the play for her birthday. They had balcony seats five rows back from the edge, he said. “We saw people at the front of the row get up and move, like the way people get up and move when they’re bored and leave,” he said. “Then it was like a ripple going backwards, literally in a matter of seconds. We heard a massive crash and the ceiling came crashing straight down in front of the balcony into the stalls. Some people were screaming, but in the section where we were there was no shoving or pushing. We realized it was serious when the emergency lights came on and there was a lot of dust. Ushers were guiding people out. It was a speedy walkout.” | Steve George, who manages a movie theater, took his wife to the play for her birthday. They had balcony seats five rows back from the edge, he said. “We saw people at the front of the row get up and move, like the way people get up and move when they’re bored and leave,” he said. “Then it was like a ripple going backwards, literally in a matter of seconds. We heard a massive crash and the ceiling came crashing straight down in front of the balcony into the stalls. Some people were screaming, but in the section where we were there was no shoving or pushing. We realized it was serious when the emergency lights came on and there was a lot of dust. Ushers were guiding people out. It was a speedy walkout.” |
| His wife, Hannah, said: “It went very quickly. For a second I thought it was part of the sound effects; it was surreal. I realized when I saw all the dust.” | His wife, Hannah, said: “It went very quickly. For a second I thought it was part of the sound effects; it was surreal. I realized when I saw all the dust.” |
| She said she saw at least two people badly injured, a man with blood running from his head and a woman on the ground getting oxygen. “I’m still shaken,” she said. “It was pretty terrifying.” | She said she saw at least two people badly injured, a man with blood running from his head and a woman on the ground getting oxygen. “I’m still shaken,” she said. “It was pretty terrifying.” |
| Lucy Atherton said that “the roof just crumpled into the dress circle.” | Lucy Atherton said that “the roof just crumpled into the dress circle.” |
| Tom Chesshyre told the BBC that “quite a big piece of the ceiling,” which he described as circular and measuring roughly 10 to 16 feet, “came crashing down.” He compared it to what happens when a ceiling collapses in a bathroom after a long, damp period of time. “You go into these old theaters and you wonder how they hold together,” he said. | Tom Chesshyre told the BBC that “quite a big piece of the ceiling,” which he described as circular and measuring roughly 10 to 16 feet, “came crashing down.” He compared it to what happens when a ceiling collapses in a bathroom after a long, damp period of time. “You go into these old theaters and you wonder how they hold together,” he said. |
| Michelle Robbins said that she and her husband, Henry, were watching the show when people started moving. “Black smoke came up,” she said. “Then people were climbing over us. We just knew we needed to get out.” | Michelle Robbins said that she and her husband, Henry, were watching the show when people started moving. “Black smoke came up,” she said. “Then people were climbing over us. We just knew we needed to get out.” |
| Mr. Robbins described the confusion at the scene as “the type when panic starts spreading like wildfire.” | Mr. Robbins described the confusion at the scene as “the type when panic starts spreading like wildfire.” |
| There was immediate speculation that the recent heavy rain and winds might have contributed to the collapse, but fire and police officials said that they would have to investigate before citing a cause. | There was immediate speculation that the recent heavy rain and winds might have contributed to the collapse, but fire and police officials said that they would have to investigate before citing a cause. |
| About 25 ambulance crews and a helicopter were at the scene, along with eight fire engines and scores of police officers and firefighters. | About 25 ambulance crews and a helicopter were at the scene, along with eight fire engines and scores of police officers and firefighters. |
| The Apollo was one of the first theaters built in the Edwardian period and opened on Feb. 21, 1901, with an American musical comedy called “The Belle of Bohemia.” It has one of the steepest gallery systems, with three cantilevered balconies, of any London theater. Spectators who have a fear of heights are warned not to sit in the highest balcony. | The Apollo was one of the first theaters built in the Edwardian period and opened on Feb. 21, 1901, with an American musical comedy called “The Belle of Bohemia.” It has one of the steepest gallery systems, with three cantilevered balconies, of any London theater. Spectators who have a fear of heights are warned not to sit in the highest balcony. |