The ceiling of the Piccadilly Theatre in London has collapsed, injuring some members of the audience. The incident took place around 20 minutes into the first half of the production ‘Death of a Salesman’ in the capital. The City of Westminster Police said they rushed to the scene after reports of a “ceiling collapse around 19:59hrs”. Around 1,100 people were in the theatre when the ceiling collapsed.
The City of Westminster Police wrote on Twitter: “Police on scene with LAS & LFB at Piccadilly Theatre in Denman St Westminster after reports of a ceiling collapse around 19:59hrs.
“Everyone is out of the theatre. A few people have suffered minor injuries.
“Road closures in place. Motorists advised to use alternative routes.”
One audience member wrote on Twitter: “Two fire crews quick to clear the area....saw one person being treated for a head injury outside.”
Audience members were quickly evacuated from the theatre after the incident.
The ceiling collapsed on an upper-tier in the West End theatre, sparking screams.
London Fire Brigade said in a tweet: "Firefighters are attending the Piccadilly Theatre where a section of plaster has fallen from the ceiling during a performance. Around 1,100 people evacuated the theatre before we arrived."
One audience member posted a video on social media where she thanked the “efficient evacuation by the staff”.
Emergency services closed Denman Street and secured the theatre after the incident.
Writing on social media, one audience member claimed the ceiling collapse started “with some dripping” that “increased” until it “all caved in”.
Audience members instantly screamed when the ceiling initially crumbled.
BBC reporter James Waterhouse tweeted: "Part of the roof apparently caved in the first half of Death of a Salesman at the Piccadilly Theatre. A few screams. Everyone evacuated. Now waiting outside."
Journalist Martin George, 41, who was sitting in the Grand Circle, said there were screams coming from the audience as part of the ceiling came crashing down.
Mr George said: “About 10 minutes into the performance you could hear this slight dripping sound in the [Grand] circle and people were looking around, wondering what was happening, but the play carried on.
"As the minutes passed, the dripping became more frequent and it sounded like more water was coming through the ceiling, causing a few people to get up and move.
"The sound eventually got so loud that we stood up and started to leave, as we were wondering what was going to happen.
"Then, as we stood up, this huge chunk of ceiling, about three to four metres across, crashed down.
"There were people screaming at that point and everyone got up and streamed down the stairs."
The area outside the theatre has been cordoned off with emergency services still on the scene.
Wendell Pierce, an American actor in the play, who famously played Meghan Markle’s on-screen dad in the US hit series Suits, came out to speak to members of the audience after the incident.
He joked: “I did not mean for it to go like this,” sparking laughter from the crowd.
He then added: “I would like to thank you all for one, safely evacuating. We apologise and we are glad that no one is hurt.
“I ask you all to come back and see our production. We are so honoured you came tonight.
“We are so sorry that unfortunately, this happened.”
Four people were taken to hospital after paramedics treated the injured at the scene, a London Ambulance Service spokesman said.
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November 07, 2019 at 07:01AM
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Piccadilly Theatre emergency: Ceiling collapses on audience at major London West End show - Express
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