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| Apollo Theatre collapse: 'Fortunate more people not hurt' | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| It is lucky more people were not injured when part of a ceiling collapsed at a packed theatre, London Fire Brigade has said. | It is lucky more people were not injured when part of a ceiling collapsed at a packed theatre, London Fire Brigade has said. |
| Some 76 people were hurt when ornate plasterwork at the Apollo fell during a production of The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time. | |
| Reports suggested water dripped through ceiling cracks before it fell. | Reports suggested water dripped through ceiling cracks before it fell. |
| Westminster City Council is expected to report later on a structural assessment of the 112-year-old West End theatre. | Westminster City Council is expected to report later on a structural assessment of the 112-year-old West End theatre. |
| 'Horrific' | |
| The authority confirmed the theatre's health and safety checks were up to date. | The authority confirmed the theatre's health and safety checks were up to date. |
| Nickie Aiken, cabinet member for community protection, said: "As a precaution, all historic theatres are carrying out further safety checks." | |
| One line of inquiry will be the effect of adverse weather on the Grade II-listed building on Shaftesbury Avenue. | One line of inquiry will be the effect of adverse weather on the Grade II-listed building on Shaftesbury Avenue. |
| There was a thunderstorm and a heavy rain burst in London on Thursday evening with a high number of lightning strikes across the capital. | There was a thunderstorm and a heavy rain burst in London on Thursday evening with a high number of lightning strikes across the capital. |
| Seven of those hurt during the collapse were said to have serious injuries. Two people remain in hospital. | Seven of those hurt during the collapse were said to have serious injuries. Two people remain in hospital. |
| Nick Harding from London Fire Brigade said: "I think it's fortunate that more people weren't injured by this. | Nick Harding from London Fire Brigade said: "I think it's fortunate that more people weren't injured by this. |
| "I've never seen anything like this in my 19 years in the fire service. | "I've never seen anything like this in my 19 years in the fire service. |
| "It's a testament to all the emergency services, including the fire brigade, who were very quickly able to get people out of the building." | "It's a testament to all the emergency services, including the fire brigade, who were very quickly able to get people out of the building." |
| The collapse happened at 20:15 GMT on Thursday when the theatre was almost full, with 720 people watching the performance. | The collapse happened at 20:15 GMT on Thursday when the theatre was almost full, with 720 people watching the performance. |
| Chris Edwards and his son and daughter-in-law were among those injured. | Chris Edwards and his son and daughter-in-law were among those injured. |
| Mr Edwards said: "I first heard cracking, then looked up to see a big part of the roof coming down. It was horrific. | Mr Edwards said: "I first heard cracking, then looked up to see a big part of the roof coming down. It was horrific. |
| "Larger pieces hit my younger son and he's still in hospital with a broken collar bone and suspected damage to his spine. | "Larger pieces hit my younger son and he's still in hospital with a broken collar bone and suspected damage to his spine. |
| "I tried to cover my daughter-in-law, who is pregnant, to protect her but some of the debris fell on her back. Thankfully she and the baby are safe. | "I tried to cover my daughter-in-law, who is pregnant, to protect her but some of the debris fell on her back. Thankfully she and the baby are safe. |
| "I have cuts and bruises myself, but we believe we have been very lucky. But I am really angry about this too. It was so lucky that someone wasn't killed." | "I have cuts and bruises myself, but we believe we have been very lucky. But I am really angry about this too. It was so lucky that someone wasn't killed." |
| Dermot Kavanagh was sitting in the balcony. | Dermot Kavanagh was sitting in the balcony. |
| "The whole row stood up and there were suppressed murmurs and shrieks and shortly after that there was this large ornate ceiling rose with a chandelier in the middle just came down and a huge brownish grey cloud of dust came up from the stalls," he said. | "The whole row stood up and there were suppressed murmurs and shrieks and shortly after that there was this large ornate ceiling rose with a chandelier in the middle just came down and a huge brownish grey cloud of dust came up from the stalls," he said. |
| Three London buses were commandeered to take patients to hospital. | |
| Micky Gilroy, from the Arriva London bus company, said: "For most drivers, something like this is a once in a lifetime situation. | |
| "When they come into work today, they will get commendations and be thanked for last night. They have done a brilliant job." | |
| One of them, Ibrahim Shah, said: "I was very proud that I was able to help take the injured to hospital." | |
| London Mayor Boris Johnson said the response of the emergency services had been "exemplary" and that the West End remained "open for business". | London Mayor Boris Johnson said the response of the emergency services had been "exemplary" and that the West End remained "open for business". |
| He said: "This morning I spoke with senior figures from the emergency services and key agencies to assess the situation and to thank them." | He said: "This morning I spoke with senior figures from the emergency services and key agencies to assess the situation and to thank them." |
| 'Swift and effective' | 'Swift and effective' |
| Mark Haddon, author of the book on which the play is based, tweeted: "It's been horrifying sitting here watching what has been happening at the Apollo this evening. I'm hugely relieved that no-one has died." | Mark Haddon, author of the book on which the play is based, tweeted: "It's been horrifying sitting here watching what has been happening at the Apollo this evening. I'm hugely relieved that no-one has died." |
| Daniel Casey, who plays Roger Shears, said: "All our thoughts and sympathies are with those members of our audience who were affected or injured last night. | |
| "The emergency services and theatre staff were wonderful." | |
| The emergency response included 25 ambulance crews, an air ambulance rapid response team, police officers and eight fire engines with more than 50 firefighters. | The emergency response included 25 ambulance crews, an air ambulance rapid response team, police officers and eight fire engines with more than 50 firefighters. |
| Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Trust said 34 adults and five children were treated in accident and emergency at St Thomas' Hospital. | Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Trust said 34 adults and five children were treated in accident and emergency at St Thomas' Hospital. |
| The majority had cuts and bruises but a small number had fractures. The three most seriously hurt victims had injuries to their neck and back, or head. | The majority had cuts and bruises but a small number had fractures. The three most seriously hurt victims had injuries to their neck and back, or head. |
| 'Extremely rare' | 'Extremely rare' |
| Nimax, the theatre's owner described the incident as "shocking and upsetting" and said its "thoughts are with the audience and staff". | Nimax, the theatre's owner described the incident as "shocking and upsetting" and said its "thoughts are with the audience and staff". |
| Mhora Samuel, from The Theatres Trust, said: "Thankfully occurrences of theatre ceiling and plasterwork collapse are extremely rare. | Mhora Samuel, from The Theatres Trust, said: "Thankfully occurrences of theatre ceiling and plasterwork collapse are extremely rare. |
| "The public should be reassured that theatre owners carry out regular plasterwork inspections and maintenance regimes to ensure the safety of their buildings." | "The public should be reassured that theatre owners carry out regular plasterwork inspections and maintenance regimes to ensure the safety of their buildings." |
| The Society of London Theatre (SOLT) said all the major theatre owners had confirmed their safety inspections and certificates were up to date and all other London theatres remained open for business. | The Society of London Theatre (SOLT) said all the major theatre owners had confirmed their safety inspections and certificates were up to date and all other London theatres remained open for business. |
| Performances at the Apollo have been cancelled until 4 January and customers should contact their point of purchase to arrange exchanges or refunds, said SOLT. | Performances at the Apollo have been cancelled until 4 January and customers should contact their point of purchase to arrange exchanges or refunds, said SOLT. |
| 'Significant renovation' | 'Significant renovation' |
| Mark Field, Conservative MP for Cities of London and Westminster, said: "Clearly quite a lot of Theatreland does go back 100 years or more. | |
| "There's been a significant programme of renovation in the last 10 years, but given that we've got 40 or 50 theatres in the whole West End clearly it won't have applied necessarily to every one of them." | "There's been a significant programme of renovation in the last 10 years, but given that we've got 40 or 50 theatres in the whole West End clearly it won't have applied necessarily to every one of them." |
| The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time has been running in London since August 2012. | The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time has been running in London since August 2012. |
| The show started at the National Theatre, before transferring to the Apollo in March this year. | The show started at the National Theatre, before transferring to the Apollo in March this year. |
| Nimax Theatres also runs the Garrick, Duchess and Vaudeville theatres. | Nimax Theatres also runs the Garrick, Duchess and Vaudeville theatres. |
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