Apollo Theatre ceiling collapses in London

The ceiling of central London's historic 775-seat Apollo Theatre collapsed Thursday during a performance to a nearly packed house, injuring scores of people, seven of them seriously, officials said.

The London Fire Brigade's Kingsland Station Manager Nick Harding said about 720 people were inside when a section of the ceiling collapsed on the theatergoers, taking parts of the balconies with it.

He put the number of "walking wounded" at 81, many of whom suffered head injuries.

Metropolitan Police said in a tweet that those who were seriously hurt had been taken to hospitals in central London.

The Apollo is located next to Piccadilly Circus in the Soho district, which is usually packed with tourists, shoppers and diners at theater time.

Paramedics arrived carrying stretchers as police cordoned off the area.

A few minutes later, some of the paramedics emerged from the theater, their stretcher full; others helped someone limp out of the building.

Many of the injured were taken initially to the Lyric Theatre, located next door.

Dozens of police, fire and ambulance vehicles filled the street in front of the theater.

The theater's website said: "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" had been playing," which it described as "a thrilling new stage play from the National Theatre."

Ticket prices at the theater, which opened its doors in 1901 and whose 775 seats are arrayed on four levels, included a 1 pound (about $1.64) "theatre restoration levy," the website said.

It is owned and operated by Nimax Theatres.