Cinema customer dies after freak electric chair accident

A man who was seriously injured in a “freak cinema accident” has died after his head was crushed in an electric seat at a cinema in Birmingham, says Birmingham Live.

The incident took place on Friday 9 March at Vue Cinema at Star City after the man dropped his phone in between the Gold Class seats at the end of the film.

When he leaned down to retrieve it, the electric seat’s footrest reportedly clamped on his head.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

The chair’s foot rest was eventually broken to free the man after his partner and cinema staff struggled to free him. An ambulance was called and the victim was taken to Heartlands Hospital.

Vue Cinema confirmed today that the man died.

A spokesman for Vue said: “Following an incident which took place on Friday 9 March at our Birmingham cinema, we can confirm that a customer was taken to hospital that evening.

“A full investigation into the nature of the incident is ongoing. Our thoughts and condolences are with the family who have our full support and assistance."

Mark Croxford, Head of Environmental Health at Birmingham City Council, said that “a Health and Safety investigation has begun” into the incident.