Roof collapse at the Apollo Theatre

[Marian]

Apalling news tonight when part of the roof collapsed during a performance at the Apollo. It brought down part of the balcony which landed on the audience below. Latest news there were 80 casualties and 7 more seriously injured.

[cyp21]

This terrible news. It has to be down to bad management surely as things need to be maintained and adequate repairs carried out if needed or replaced with new you can't put peoples lives at stake.

[Lena & Harry Smith]

Shocking, particularly as there are some with serious injuries.
Just a while before the time that this happened, there was an almighty clap of thunder here, and although it sounded like something much worse than thunder, we both got up to look out to see if we could see anything, and although they have discounted this being the cause we wouldn't feel so sure. Maybe the vibration had some affect.

[karl]

A similar thing happened years ago at the Usher Hall although not so serious, Tony Bennett was onstage when something fell from the ceiling.

From what I read Tony said he's brought the house down before but never like this!

These concert halls and theatres are old, however the Usher Hall has had a complete face lift recently and only re-opened about a year ago.

However it's not just old theatres. My neighbours have just been to see Status in Glasgow and the previous night they played in a new venue and as they were walking up some stairs to the stage something gave way and one of the bands leg went through something and he hurt his ankle.

[Marian]

Quite right Karl, some of new builds today can also be unsafe.
I've heard various reasons why this accident happened, from heavy rain on the roof the night before to the age of the theatres, to the fact that the heavy and bulky props used in special effects these days that the theatres weren't built to withstand. Apparently the audience at first thought it was part of the show!
It must have been a frightening experience for all the people involved, though not as many serious injuries at first thought as I'm glad to say. It could have been so much worse.
As a person on facebook wrote "I pray there was no asbestos in that lot"....

[maureen & harry]

Yes this was shocking news.

We hope that the people injured will make a full recovery.

[karl]

Yes Marian I hope there was no asbestos either and I'm glad nobody was killed.

As you say the weight of the props inold theatres, that was mentioned in the recent documentrary about Charlie &The Chocolate Factory they were afraid the weight of the props would bring the roof down.

I always get confused with the Appollo & Appollo Victoria, I am sure I was in the latter years ago to see Pajama Game with (I think) Graham Bickley.

[john]

Awful thing to happen. It must have been very frightening for the people inside, a miracle that no one was killed.

[maxine]

Can't imagine the shock of that happening and then to be injured and see your loved one injured ....let's hope the affects mentally and physically won't be too damaging and people can continue with their lives including going back to see shows

[karl]

Seeing the inside of the theatre on tonight's News made you realise just how bad it was.

[mariana44]

Many of my friends thought it was the Apollo in Victoria, where we saw about 10 Jm concerts 1 year--but as I explained Shaftesbury Avenue is a long way from Victoria, and you could never say that Victoris was the West End.

Terrible thing to happen--like all these things it could have been worse--but I think maybe all these theatres need a really good looking at safetywise. I think I would be quite nervous at the moment, if I was going to a theatre---anywhere !!