Ceiling of Ayala Cinema in Cebu collapses, injures at least 6

CEBU, Philippines (4TH UPDATE) – The ceiling of a cinema at the Ayala Business Park in Cebu City collapsed Monday night, June 15.

At least 6 moviegoers were injured inside Ayala Cinema 5, according to Ayala Center Cebu in a statement posted on its Twitter account.

“At around 8:50 in the evening today, a part of the ceiling fell during an exclusive movie screening at Cinema 5,” the statement said.

“We are currently investigating the cause of the incident,” it added.

Australia-based company Dreamscape was hosting a movie screening that gathered up to 350 people – including foreigners – when the incident happened, according to its COO Mark Evans.

Evans said they saw sparks and then heard a bang before water poured down on them. 

“It took 25 minutes until help came from Ayala management. I was pulling people out of the debris,” lamented Evans, who suffered cuts in his hands. 

 

The cinema is part of the the expansion of Ayala Center Cebu.  

 

Videos of the incident immediately circulated online. 

//

 

An event from Australia-based Dreamscape.au with 350 people was being held when the entire ceiling collapsed #Rappler pic.twitter.com/QC1NIF9jg7

— Dale G. Israel (@dalegisrael) June 15, 2015

Dreamscape COO Mark Evans said sparks with a bang and water came pouring down on them #Rappler pic.twitter.com/I02GduxQll

— Dale G. Israel (@dalegisrael) June 15, 2015

As of this posting, workers were seen cleaning up the cinema. The area was cordoned off to the public. 

 

Workers clean up water coming out of Cinema 5. Area cordoned off especially to media #Rappler pic.twitter.com/3Fq1QtWSyV

— Dale G. Israel (@dalegisrael) June 15, 2015

– Rappler.com

(Editor’s note: In a previous version of this story, we reported that it was the roof that collapsed. This has been corrected in this version)