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Performance brings the house down at London Apollo

Fugitive

By Fugitive,
in GF - General Forum

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Teflon Don Mentor

Teflon Don

Posted
Posted

A curious incident, alright:

 

 

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/dec/19/apollo-theatre-london-balcony

 

Apollo theatre balcony collapses in London

 

A rescue operation is under way after part of a balcony in the Apollo theatre in London's West End collapsed during a performance, trapping people inside.

 

A Metropolitan police spokesman said there were "multiple casualties". The London ambulance service was quoted as saying that there were 30 casualties, including walking wounded.

 

The collapse occurred during a performance of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time at about 8pm local time.

 

Witnesses said they saw people being escorted out of the building, covered in dust and debris.

 

Halfway through the first half of the performance, part of the balcony started creaking before a section of the theatre collapsed. Audience members assumed the noise was part of the show.

 

Rachel Williams said she was sitting four rows from the front when she heards 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.

 

People left the building crying, coughing and helping each other away. Many were trying to make contact with family members as some were still trapped inside the building.

 

One 29-year-old, who would only give his name as Ben, said: "It was about halfway through the first half of the show and there was a lot of creaking.

 

"We thought it was part of the scene, it was a seaside scene, but then there was a lot of crashing noise and part of the roof caved in. There was dust everywhere, everybody's covered in dust.

 

"We got out fairly quickly, I think everyone was quite panicked."

 

A 38-year-old said: "We were in the stalls. It's a balcony that's come off. Some of the structure's come down."

 

Police were on the scene within minutes and began cordoning off the theatre.

 

London Fire Brigade confirmed that eight fire engines had been sent to the scene.

 

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.

 

"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."

 

Walking wounded were taken from the scene in ambulances as a team of firefighters rushed through the front stage door in Archer Street.

 

Some were taken to the nearby White Horse pub, while others were taken from the scene to be reunited with friends and family members.

 

Simon Usborne, a writer for the Independent newspaper, said there was a "cloud" of dust obscuring the stage after parts of masonry appeared to fall away.

 

He said: "There was panic, there was screaming."

 

He added that there did not appear to be any sign of damage from the outside of the theatre.

 

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.

 

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