Fact Check: Viral Image of Theatre Roof Collapse Misidentified as Recent Incident

A viral photo claiming to depict a theatre roof collapse during an Argentine screening is actually an old image from Washington state, linked to a different incident. The confusion illustrates the need for careful fact-checking in the age of social media.

A recent viral photo claiming to show a roof collapse during a screening in Argentina has been debunked. While indeed a part of the ceiling fell during a ‘Final Destination’ screening, the image circulating online originates from a separate incident in Washington state. The photo depicts the aftermath of a theater ceiling collapse that occurred in Wenatchee during a showing of “Captain America: Brave New World” on February 25.

The worrying situations during these screenings are indeed startling. On May 19, an Argentine woman celebrated her 29th birthday at Cinema Ocho in La Plata when a portion of the ceiling fell, resulting in injuries to her legs, back, and shoulder. This was attributed to heavy rainfall in the region. The viral image surfaced when many began sharing it on social media, mistakenly identifying it as the scene from Argentina.

The photo shows debris scattered on the floor beneath a damaged ceiling, with the movie still playing on the screen. Yet, this picture is misrepresented. A reverse image search conducted by the India Today Fact Check team led them to a report from NBC News dated February 27, confirming the photo’s true origin.

The actual incident in Wenatchee was fortunately less severe; no injuries were reported when the ceiling collapsed during that superhero film showing, as only two patrons were in attendance at Liberty Cinema.

Differences in the severity of the two events are notable. The collapse at Cinema Ocho was minor compared to Wenatchee’s, which saw significant debris including rafter beams falling onto the front row. It is clear that while both incidents are alarming, they differ greatly in scale. Thus, the circulation of the old photo has misled many about the recent events in Argentina.

In summary, the viral photo associated with a recent theatre roof collapse in Argentina is actually an older image from a separate incident in Washington state. While both occurrences involved ceiling collapses during film screenings, the severity and specifics are dramatically different. The confusion highlights the importance of verifying such images before spreading information online.

Original Source: www.indiatoday.in