posted 11-28-2003 01:00 AM                   

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Cinema evacuated after suspicious fire

A suspicious fire shut down the Cinemark Movies 10 on Date Palm Drive in Cathedral City late Tuesday.

No one was injured and theater patrons and staff evacuated themselves prior to the arrival of fire crews about 9:20 p.m.

Cathedral City Fire Division Chief Mike Hatfield said it looked like someone started the fire in the back of the building by igniting a plastic pipe going into the structure.

Theater patrons reported they were watching the movie when the lights came on and fire alarms sounded.

There was smoke and water damage throughout the theater but no estimate on the damage was available Tuesday.

Electrical power to the theater building was shut off while fire crews investigated the blaze.

Three engines responded to the blaze.

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