Apollo Theatre ceiling collapses during show, injuring 76 people Ceiling collapses on packed London theatre Dozens of people are injured after part of London's Apollo theatre collapsed midway through a performance. PT1M39S http://www.smh.com.au/action/externalEmbeddedPlayer?id=d-2zp23 620 349 December 20, 2013 - 1:22PM LONDON: The ceiling of a packed theatre collapsed on the audience during a show in London on Thursday evening, wounding 76 people, including children, and leaving terrified theatregoers covered in blood and rubble. A sell-out crowd of about 720 people was in The Apollo Theatre watching The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time when ornate masonry and rigging fell five storeys on to their heads. Witnesses said they heard creaking noises in the 112-year-old theatre before the collapse but thought it was part of the show, which is one of London's most popular and was packed with families. An injured man is taken to hospital after the collapse of a balcony at The Apollo Theatre. Rescuers commandeered three iconic red London double-decker buses to transport the wounded, while London's normally tourist-thronged "Theatreland" was brought to a stunned halt. Paramedics initially said 88 people were injured but later revised the number downwards to 76. Seven were seriously hurt, another 51 "walking wounded" were taken to hospital with minor injuries and the rest were treated at the scene. A section of the theatre's ceiling collapsed onto the audience who were watching the show. The ceiling took parts of the balconies down with it," senior firefighter Nick Harding told reporters. In my time as a fire officer I've never seen an incident like this. I imagine lots of people were out enjoying the show in the run-up to Christmas. Witnesses told of terror inside the Edwardian-era theatre, which has three tiers of balconies, the uppermost of which is said to be the steepest in London. People were crying in shock and coughing because of the dust as they fled to safety. A woman receives medical attention after part of the ceiling at the Apollo Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue collapsed. Desmond Thomas, 18, part of a school party watching the show, said they heard noises before the accident. "Maybe 10 minutes into the performance we heard a tap-tap noise, we thought it was rain," he said. There was a crack and then it suddenly seemed to get bigger and suddenly it collapsed. The next thing we knew the whole theatre filled with dust and smoke. An injured person is wheeled to an ambulance after the ceiling of the Apollo Theatre collapsed. A thunderstorm had hit London in the hour before the incident. Simon Usborne, a journalist for The Independent newspaper who was watching the show, said there was "chaos." Loud bangs, cracks. Thought was part of show then whole interior of theatre filled with curtain of dark grey dust and debris, falling on heads of anyone not sheltered," he tweeted afterwards. People emerging soon after bloodied - children crying - family show - people dumbfounded. Prime Minister David Cameron said he was being kept updated on the incident and was "grateful for the fast work of the emergency services in helping the injured." Police said they were investigating the cause of the incident alongside structural engineers from the local council. "There is no suggestion at this stage that this was as a result of a criminal act, however, at this stage we of course are keeping an open mind," said Chief Superintendent Paul Rickett. A fire brigade cherry picker could be seen stretching high over the theatre after the incident. Several people were stretchered out of the theatre, while others with bandages on their heads were being treated in triage centres set up in the lobbies of the nearby Gielgud and Queen's theatres. "In the finest traditions of Theatreland, they very quickly rallied around," said fire brigade spokesman Graham Ellis. Audience member Dee Stephenson said there was so much dust afterwards they had to feel their way out. Everybody was in a trance-like state. A lot of people were in absolute shock," Mr Stephenson said. We were extremely fortunate. "Consular staff are in contact with UK authorities but have not been advised of any Australians affected at this stage," a spokeswoman for the high commission in London said in a statement.