Shaw Theatres Nex closes after ventilation duct falls through ceiling during Tenet screening
PHOTO: PHOTO: Mustsharenews via Facebook/SG Dirty Fella
PUBLISHED ONAugust 30, 2020 11:30 AMByIlyas Sholihyn
Local cinemas are open to the public once again with precautionary measures taken. But hazard arrived in another form earlier today (Aug 30) for moviegoers at Shaw Theatres Nex.
Attendees watching a screening of Christopher Nolan’s Tenet earlier this afternoon were left in a state of shock in the middle of the movie. Not by the complex exposition or the surprisingly bad audio mix though, but by the partial collapse of what seems to be the ventilation system.
A Shaw Theatres spokesman confirmed to The Straits Times that the duct in Hall 6 was dislodged at around 4.45pm. A Building and Construction Authority (BCA) engineer was sent to investigate the incident of the fallen Air-conditioning and Mechanical Ventilation (ACMV) duct at 6.30pm.
Pictures shared by an attendee to Mustsharenews showed the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) and Singapore Police Force (SPF) officers at the scene, speaking to witnesses.
One image saw a woman lying on the floor seemingly in pain while another picture showed a victim being wheeled away by paramedics on a stretcher. A Shaw Theatres spokesperson confirmed that two people were injured and conveyed to Tan Tock Seng Hospital.
According to some accounts to Mustsharenews, moviegoers had heard a crumbling sound from the ceiling before the duct came crashing down, sending chunks of the ceiling onto people seated below. No one appeared to be trapped under the debris.
After the incident, Shaw Theatres updated on its website that its Nex branch will be closed until further notice. BCA has instructed that the cinema be closed pending further investigation.
“There will be no movie sessions during this period,” a statement on the website noted. AsiaOne has reached out to Shaw Theatres for more details.
A Nex spokesperson confirmed to Mustsharenews that the mall’s management will be working closely with Shaw Theatres and the authorities to investigate the cause of the collapse.
ilyas@asiaone.com