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Topic: Popper Fire Spoils Theatre Opening

Mark Lensenmayer
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1605
From: Upper Arlington, OH
Registered: Sep 1999

posted 08-04-2005 04:06 PM

It certainly was a hot opening at the Polaris Rave theatre.

Looks like Film-Tech member Shane Cooper had a busy time of it last night (8/3/05). This was reported tonight by local television news.

NBC-4 Fire Report

quote:
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A movie theater was evacuated on Wednesday night after smoke engulfed the Polaris-area building.

About 2,500 United Way volunteers were supposed to be treated to a free movie, but were ushered out of Rave Motion Pictures before the film even started, NBC 4 reported.

It turned out a popcorn popper caught fire, filling about a third of the building with smoke and sending fire crews racing to the building.

"Even though we had a full house and everyone was excited, we had to evacuate the building," said Jeremy Devine of Rave Motion Pictures. "Fortunately no one was hurt."

Theater management said they still hope to open to the public on Friday night.

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Dominic Espinosa
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1172
From: California, U.S.A.
Registered: Jan 2004

posted 08-04-2005 05:35 PM

A theater I worked at once had a popper fire durring a secret shopper visit. It made for an ... interesting report.

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Brian Hogan
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 119
From: Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
Registered: Jul 2001

posted 08-04-2005 05:55 PM

thats why i would only go to the lennox 24. i find it quite funny how smaller theatre chains always come into an over saturated market like columbus. amc dominates that market, yet others always try to come in, only to leave with their tails between their legs.

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Mike Spaeth
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1129
From: Marietta, GA
Registered: Jul 2000

posted 08-04-2005 06:08 PM

Rave has been successful everywhere they've opened ...

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Kelly Skaggs
Film Handler

Posts: 68
From: Springdale UT
Registered: Jul 2003

posted 08-04-2005 06:34 PM

I was opening a Theater for Great Escape, 5 minutes into the previews of the very first show one of the exit signs caught on fire and we had to evacuate. 4 days later the main pipe that feeds the sprinkler system busted at a joint and there was 1 foot of standing water in the entire building by the time we got it shut down. Then a week later there was a tornado spotted close to us so we had to get everyone to the halls and bathrooms. That builing was pure hell from the get go. [evil]

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Randy Stankey
Film God

Posts: 6539
From: Erie, Pennsylvania
Registered: Jun 99

posted 08-05-2005 12:00 AM

Did you ever notice that the coupler on the BIBs of popcorn oil is exactly the same as the ones for Dr. Pepper?

I know a kid who somehow hooked up a BIB of Dr. Pepper to the popcorn popper and tried to pop corn with it!

It didn't start a fire but it nearly did. The place was probably just as full of smoke regardless!

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Wolff King Morrow
Master Film Handler

Posts: 490
From: Denton, TX, USA
Registered: Feb 2004

posted 08-05-2005 08:22 AM

Is Shane working that location? I thought he worked a different one.

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Bill Carter
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 162
From: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Registered: Sep 1999

posted 08-05-2005 10:08 AM

I once had a guy try to pop corn in Diet Pepsi syrup. He came and told me, "The popcorn smells really bad".

So, I asked him, "Didn't you notice the oil was dark brown when you pumped it in the kettle?"

His answer:

"Well, yes, but I thought it was just really old or something."

He had a wonderful evening, cleaning out that popper.

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Randy Stankey
Film God

Posts: 6539
From: Erie, Pennsylvania
Registered: Jun 99

posted 08-05-2005 11:37 AM

Our kettle was trashed. So was the oil pump.

Whatever's in Dr. Pepper syrup (? Phosphoric Acid ?) ate pits in the kettle when it got heated up. We didn't even try to clean it.
The butter pump and all the lines were just gummed up with sugar. Besides, when Dr. Pepper goes through a plastic hose it will contaminate the line. It will taste like Dr. Pepper forever. If you tried to put popcorn oil through it all your popcorn would taste like Dr. Pepper.

When I came downstairs to survey the damage myself I checked out the batch of popcorn. It LOOKED okay but it smelled like Dr. Pepper. I got a bright idea! Let's CHARGE EXTRA for Dr. Pepper flavored popcorn! [Big Grin]

That idea eveporated rapidly when you tasted it! BURNED SUGAR!! BLECH!! Maybe, if they had shut the popper off sooner before the sugar scorched the idea might have worked but it was too late.

In retrospect, I think, maybe we should have kept the popper and used it to make flavored popcorn. Just put a couple SPOONS FULL of syrup in the kettle right when the popcorn starts popping them shut off the heat. Isn't that the way you're supposed to do it?

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Mark Lensenmayer
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1605
From: Upper Arlington, OH
Registered: Sep 1999

posted 08-05-2005 11:56 AM

Brian Hogan said:

quote: Brian Hogan
thats why i would only go to the lennox 24. i find it quite funny how smaller theatre chains always come into an over saturated market like columbus. amc dominates that market, yet others always try to come in, only to leave with their tails between their legs.

I don't understand your comment, Brian. The only theatre to close in recent memory was a Regal that has since been reopened by Marquee. No one has left the market. Please note that AMC also has closed 14 screens in the Columbus area. Also, I wouldn't call the AMC Dublin a powerful theatre.

The new Rave theatre is in an excellent location, adjacent to a very large shopping mall and located in one of the fastest growing counties in the United States. With little competition in that area, they should thrive. AMC Easton will be no competition for this theatre at all.

AMC gets great results due to locations. The Lennox 24 is only a few hundred yards from Ohio State, with its 50,000 unergraduates, and, since all students are charged for bus transportation, OSU students are practically delivered to the front door. Easton 30 is in a fast growing shopping area.

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Monte L Fullmer
Film God

Posts: 8367
From: Nampa, Idaho, USA
Registered: Nov 2004

posted 08-06-2005 03:34 AM

Whoopsie! Someone wasn't watching their popping duties - letting the kettle get too hot, shot the oil in first instead of putting seed in first then the oil. Then took the ABC extingusher and shot all of that chemical into that burning kettle, full blast, thus really making a mess of things......

I've replaced many-a-Cretor kettles due to bozobutt, dumbass employees not paying attention and the snakbark leads not being in charge.

Wanna fire and hang each employee who burns up a kettle.

(Pretty strong stuff, Randy, for DrPecker syrup loaded with phosphorus acid to eat the nickel plating out of a hot kettle...)

-Monte

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John Hegel
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 166
From: Lake Mills, Iowa
Registered: Sep 2000

posted 08-06-2005 03:44 AM

Why does everyone insist on corn first (besides it says it on the machine).

With coconut oil the results are much better if the oil has a few seconds to warm up.

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Jason Black
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1723
From: Myrtle Beach, SC, USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 08-06-2005 11:10 AM

John,

Two words..

FLASH FIRE.

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Shane Cooper
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 232
From: Little Rock, Arkansas
Registered: Jun 2004

posted 08-07-2005 10:21 PM

quote: Brian Hogan
thats why i would only go to the lennox 24. i find it quite funny how smaller theatre chains always come into an over saturated market like columbus. amc dominates that market, yet others always try to come in, only to leave with their tails between their legs.

First off, busy week and weekend! Despite the craziness of Wednesday, we were open for Thursday's soft event. The concession stand that had the popper in it was even ready. Thanks to all of you that called concerned and those of you that helped me get the place ready to go!

Brian -

I am sorry that you feel the need to dismiss my theater before even giving it a try! I hope you change your mind.

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Brian Hogan
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 119
From: Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
Registered: Jul 2001

posted 08-07-2005 11:34 PM

i wasn't dismissing the rave theatre experience at all. i was just saying that ive seen other big chains come in and try to make it in that market, only to go dead in a year or so. whenever i come back to the states i'd love to come check it out! sweet as.

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