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Minneapolis Concert: First Avenue Ceiling Collapse Leaves Three Injured [Photo]

By Sandra Johnson
Published on: 01:47 PST, Aug 13, 2015

Watching the ceiling collapse wasn’t exactly what fans at a Minneapolis concert expected when they walked through the doors of the famed First Avenue nightclub.

Yet, at about 10:15 p.m. central time, that is exactly what those attending the concert at First Avenue witnessed. According to those attending the Minneapolis concert, where Theory of a Deadman was playing, it looked as if a pipe had broken, and a 30 x 30-foot portion of the ceiling fell down.

The collapse happened in the back of the room near the DJ booth, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Shortly before the ceiling collapsed, parts of the railing began to shake, according to one person who attended the First Avenue concert. Shortly after the ceiling collapsed, the band quit playing, the concertgoer told NBC News.

“The band quit playing and everyone turned around. There was a ceiling piece laying on the floor.”

“You could see water just pouring out,” another concertgoer told NBC News.

In total, three people were injured when the ceiling collapsed at First Avenue, the Minneapolis Fire Department is reporting. All three had to be taken from the concert venue to the hospital, and all are in non-life threatening condition, according to reports.

First Avenue general manager Nate Kranz said he had no idea why the First Avenue ceiling collapsed, adding that the fire department will be checking the structural integrity of the building. Kranz told the Star Tribune as follows.

“A large portion of the ceiling fell and took out water pipes with it. We have no idea why or how it happened. We won’t know anything about this until tomorrow. It was a terrible surprise.”

According to the First Avenue website, a concert scheduled for Friday has been canceled. Concerts listed further out on the calendar have not yet been canceled. On Twitter, First Avenue employees said they will share more information as it becomes available.

The Minneapolis concert venue, which is famous for bringing in up-and-coming music acts, has been open since 1970. According to NBC News, the Rolling Stones included First Avenue on their list of top ballrooms in America.

Throughout the years, First Avenue has been the premier Minneapolis venue, featuring many artists who have gone on to strike it big, including Eminem, U2, The Ramones, Metallica, and Prince. The building is identifiable from the outside by its black paint and white stars.

For more information about the Minneapolis concert, First Avenue ceiling collapse, check out the video below.

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