NBC World News: London's Apollo Theatre Partially Collapses During Performance
By Becky Bratu, Staff Writer, NBC News
Joel Ryan / AP
A woman stands bandaged and wearing a blanket given by emergency services following an incident at the Apollo Theatre, on London's Shaftesbury Avenue, Thursday evening, Dec. 19, 2013, during a performance at the height of the Christmas season.
A rescue operation was underway Thursday night in London after a section of the Apollo Theatre collapsed during a performance, injuring dozens in the audience.
It wasn't immediately clear whether the ceiling or a balcony had collapsed.
The London Fire Brigade tweeted that all casualties who had been trapped under the debris were freed. They added they believed a ceiling had collapsed inside the venue.
Metropolitan Police tweeted that there were "more than 40 walking wounded being treated" at nearby Gielgud Theatre.
"Five people seriously injured. They have been taken to central London hospitals. Not aware of any fatalities at this early stage," police added.
Police were called to the scene at 8:15 p.m. local time (3:15 p.m. ET) following reports of a balcony collapse.
"We are aware of a number of casualties but we have no further detail at this early stage," Metropolitan Police said in a statement at the time.
The theater on Shaftesbury Avenue in London's West End was packed for a performance of "The Curious Incident Of The Dog in the Night-time." The fire brigade said they believed around 700 people were inside the theater during the performance at the height of the Christmas season.
Eight fire engines and the London Ambulance Service were also on the scene.
A witness told the BBC she heard "a crackling" noise before the collapse.
Simon Usborne, a writer for The Independent newspaper who was inside the theater, told NBC partner ITV that there was a "cloud" of dust obscuring the stage after parts of the structure appeared to fall.
"There was panic, there was screaming," Usborne said.
A man who would only give his name as Ben told The Guardian newspaper that the performance was about halfway through the first half when the creaking noises began.
"It was about halfway through the first half of the show and there was a lot of creaking," the 29-year-old told the paper.
"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."
The Apollo Theatre first opened its doors in February 1901. The auditorium is split on four levels with a total of 775 seats.
Thursday's performance is based on the best-selling mystery novel by Mark Haddon.
This is a developing story.
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