Two moviegoers experienced an unexpected and thrilling adventure at Liberty Cinema in downtown Wenatchee, Washington, on Tuesday night.
During a showing of “Captain America: Brave New World,” the ceiling of the theater unexpectedly collapsed, sending planks and tiles crashing down onto the audience. Thankfully, no injuries were reported, as confirmed by the Wenatchee Fire Department.
The fire department arrived at the scene around 8 p.m. and found two people in attendance. They expressed their relief in a statement, saying, “Talk about an interactive movie experience… just not the kind you want!”
Photos taken by first responders show the movie still projected on the screen, but covered in debris. A video from the fire department captures the spread of long wooden planks poking up towards the now-gaping ceiling.
Sun Basin Theatres, the owner of the downtown Wenatchee cinema, expressed their gratitude that no one was injured in the incident. Spokesperson Bryan Cook stated, “We are all grateful that no one was injured when this occurred on Tuesday evening.”
Cook added that the theater’s team is collaborating with local authorities to conduct a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the ceiling collapse.
Wenatchee Valley Fire Department Battalion Chief Cam Phillips shared details about the incident with NBC News affiliate King5. He mentioned that a couple had the theater to themselves before the unexpected collapse.
Phillips recounted that the man heard some pops and cracking sounds and stood up to investigate. As he approached the screen, he exclaimed, “Run!” However, his girlfriend didn’t have enough time to react before the ceiling began to fall, covering her in debris and leaving her seated just one row behind the jumble of wood and insulation.
“We are truly fortunate that this incident didn’t occur on a Friday or Saturday night when the theater was packed,” Phillips informed King5.
The battalion chief expressed gratitude that the couple managed to escape unharmed, emphasizing that this was the best possible outcome given the circumstances.
