Ceiling Collapses In Spanish Nightclub

– La Sala Live

26 people were injured, none of them severely, when 16 square meters of a false ceiling collapsed during a Saturday, Jan. 13, event at La Sala Live in Madrid, Spain.

According to local news reports, the 700 capacity venue only hosted some 180 people at the time of the collapse, around 1.30 a.m. There had been a concert going on until a few hours prior to the collapse, so things could have ended up far worse.

Local police is currently investigating the incident, suspecting that a recent lighting installation caused the surface to give way. Water leaks that weakened the structure could be another reason.

La Sala Live, which hosted international bands such as Napalm Death or Cradle of Filth in the past, issued a statement, thanking the swift reaction of emergency services, who were able to treat 15 injured on site. 11 people had to be taken to hospital.

The club’s operators emphasize that they have been making sure that all required permits and insurance policies are in place since opening in 1992. They announced that repairs were already under way and the schedule would continue as planned, with Spanish comedians Faemino y Cansado on stage, Jan. 20.

The incident follows a similar one only two months ago. 22 people were injured, when the floor of a gay club called Butterfly in Adeje on the Spanish island of Tenerife, collapsed into the club’s basement. Butterfly is still being refurbished and has relocated its events to another venue for the time being.