Man Hurt After NJ Theatre Collapse

No injuries have been reported, officials say

One man was hurt after the roof of a historic New Jersey theater partially collapsed.

A portion of the roof at The Grand Theatre in Monroe Township, Gloucester County collapsed around 3:45 Friday afternoon, officials said.

Daniel Bates, 47, was hurt after he fell down a long set of stairs while evacuating his family from the building. Bates, his wife Gail and their two young grandchildren and dog live in an apartment above the theatre, officials say.

Bates was taken to the hospital for treatment. The other members of his family were not hurt, officials say.

Officials turned off water and electric lines to the area as a precaution during the investigation into the cause of the collapse.

The historic theatre was built in 1927 and, in its prime, was the site of vaudeville shows, silent and feature films and is now the home of The Road Company, according to its website.

Emergency repairs were needed on the theatre, according to a posting on its website. The repairs forced a change in venue for a production of The Sound of Music.

A fundraiser to help repair the theatre is ironically scheduled for this Saturday. The theatre's owners say the event is still on.

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