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No Charges Over Theater Ceiling Collapse
London authorities say no one should be prosecuted over a ceiling collapse at the Apollo Theatre last year that injured more than 80 people.
Westminster Council said Wednesday that the accident was a result of the building’s age and there had been no breach of the law.
Seven people were seriously hurt and scores more slightly injured when chunks of plaster and wood fell from the theater ceiling during a performance of “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time” on Dec. 19, 2013.
An investigation blamed deteriorating cloth and plaster ties, in place since the theater was built in 1901.
Photo: Alastair Grant/AP
A fire brigade truck waits outside The Apollo Theatre in London.
On Wednesday, the council recommended safety authorities “tighten and improve the technical standards on ceiling checks in historical buildings, including theaters and cinemas.”