Hundreds of moviegoers were briefly evacuated from the Pacific Theatres at the Grove in Fairfax on Thursday evening.
The evacuation occurred after a fire alarm was triggered inside the building, said Officer Norma Eisenman of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Media Relations Section. There was no threat to the theater or “anything else of that nature,” she said.
Several disgruntled movie fans took to Twitter and Instagram after the incident, which prompted a response from the Los Angeles Fire Department.
Showings of the much-anticipated “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” were interrupted, according to witnesses.
“As soon as the previews were over and the movie was about to start — fire alarm. They evacuated the whole building,” said an exasperated Andrew Gouch, adding that he had purchased his “Star Wars” tickets two months in advance.
“My kids want to still sit in there but … I don’t know,” he said. “I don’t drink; I may start.”
The screenings resumed after firefighters determined that no fire had occurred and the building was safe.
https://twitter.com/MitchSah/status/677704565416939520
The Grove evacuate the entire theater after fire alarm went off. #starwars #losangeles https://t.co/7EiwypHdU0
— Henry Barajas 🌵🐀 (@HenryBarajas) December 18, 2015
Fire alarm went off in middle of #StarWars at the Grove. Still don't know why… Nerve racking. pic.twitter.com/bV5YA5rNHF
— Harrison Kratz (@KratzH) December 18, 2015
https://twitter.com/jayberger/status/677701736925175808
Some sort of threat called I to #StarWarsTheForceAwakens at the Grove in Hollywood.
Theaters evacuated. pic.twitter.com/kLx5zTit3X— Kevin Dalton (@NextLAMayor) December 18, 2015
Back to normal at The Grove theater after an evacuation possibly an electrical short. pic.twitter.com/OG0gNcZQMC
— Ｋｅｖｉｎ Ｓｃａｌｉｒ (@kevinscalir) December 18, 2015
