I don't think anyone expected Marvel's recent movie flop to bring the roof down anywhere, but somehow, it managed.
Videos by Wide Open Country
A movie theater in Wenatchee, Washington State, is clearly in need of some refurbishment. Moviegoers were almost crushed when the ceiling collapsed, narrowly missing them.
During a showing of Captain America - Brave New World, one of the only two people watching the movie noticed something was wrong. Weird noises were coming from the ceiling. And by some miracle, they managed to run before being crushed by the collapsed movie theater ceiling.
The man and his girlfriend were sitting directly under where the rubble fell. Recounting the situation, Wenatchee Valley Fire Department Battalion Chief Cam Phillips said, "They heard some pops and cracking. And the gentleman stood up and took a peek."
The boyfriend's intuition kicked in, and he walked towards the screen to take a look. When he noticed what was happening, he called out for his girlfriend to run. She only managed to move back one row and was partially trapped under the collapsed movie theater ceiling.
Movie Theater In Need Of A Makeover
If a vaguely decent film had been showing, the ceiling collapse at the movie theater could have been much more damaging. But, thankfully, it was a film that has drawn almost nobody in.
The cinema was originally built over 100 years ago in 1919. It was then remodelled in the 70s. It would be a shame to let it fall to ruin, it's certainly a piece of local history. However, serious refurbishments are in order if anyone wants to sit through a movie without the fear of death again.
The owners of the movie theater have released a brief statement about the incident. "The safety of our patrons and of our employees are of the utmost importance to me and remains my highest priority," they said.
Footage shared by the fire department shows just how much of the movie theater ceiling came down. As the police chief said, "We are really fortunate that this didn't happen on a Friday night or Saturday night when the theater was full."
I am glad the couple didn't have a completely forgettable time watching Captain America, though. The same can't be said for other people forced to sit through it.
