Updated: Eden cinemas briefly evacuated in bomb scare
Hundreds of people were evacuated from the Eden Cinemas in Paceville this evening because of what informed sources said was a bomb scare.
Policemen and soldiers from the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit were seen going in as people were pushed back from the street that runs between the cinemas.
The situation was described by people on the scene as being calm.
Patrons started being allowed back in after some 20 minutes.
13 Comments
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Iain Micallef
Dec 7th 2009, 21:56
I phoned this morning and was told it wasn't a problem to see the movie again, I just have to bring in the tickets to the cinema box office and they could be exchanged for new tickets to see the movie again, Not bad since the incident wasn't their fault and beyond their control.
Adrian Said
Dec 7th 2009, 17:56
The same thing happened in Gozo. But of course, WITH A DIFFERENCE. The so called Bomb experts turned up around 2 hours after the evacuation with no apparatus, dogs, nothing. Just their uniform and that's it. They just went around the place and 10-15mins after they left the place. Imagine if there was really a bomb. 1) it would have exploded much before these bomb experts arrived. 2) the premises weren't checked well. So next time, i think it s better to ignore these threats and try to investigate immediately the origin of the call and the person who is trying to destroy someone else's business.
Paul Ciantar
Dec 7th 2009, 16:49
who is doing this bomb threats is a criminal shame on you
Mandy Micallef
Dec 7th 2009, 14:14
Re the unused tickets: Might I suggest you do two things: 1. take the issue up with the Consumer Affairs Department; 2. forget about Eden Cinemas and opt, when possible, for the other complexes! I always found the Tal-Lira place in Fgura to be clean and organised, the staff polite. Same goes for the one in Bugibba.
The management at Eden has always come across to me as rude and arrogant. I once complained about the film rating as my 13 year old daughter was let in to see a 16+ film and I was told that the parents should be responsible for their children!
Paul Camilleri
Dec 6th 2009, 23:27
Same thing happened in Gozo last Sunday at 2 in the morning. Somebody called the KU club, and everyone inside was evacuated.
S Montebello
Dec 6th 2009, 20:46
@Charles Zahra
You are 100% right. We still have 3 tickets for the 9.15pm Maltageddon show. And after calling Eden Century Cinemas this morning, we got the same answer you did! Guess consumer rights do not exist on this island! We have every right to watch the film at a later date!! Im very sorry to say but this is simply a DISGRACE!
Julian Borg
Dec 6th 2009, 17:12
What costumer right?!! The question is, do people in this island know what that question means?? Sorry to say, but the mentality in this island needs to change big time!! We say we make part of europe so for the sake of goodness, lets act like we're a civilizied country for a change!!
Charles Zahra
Dec 6th 2009, 15:13
what about those that didn't go back to see the film scheduled because of the mentioned bomb scare. My daughter still has the 2 tickets she bought for the 21.25 showing of New Moon. she waited until 22.00 and decided that she didn't feel secure to go in.i hope that she will be allowed to see the film at a later date. surely this is something that shouldn't be of a problem for the eden cinemas.From the reply we got this morning it seems that probably they are not considering this option as the reply was that the film was showed just the same( surely long after 22.00).well what about our consumer rights!!!!
Keith Zerafa
Dec 6th 2009, 12:50
@ Oriana Vella, look at the havoc there was yesterday with everyone dealing with every single theatre and those hundreds and hundreds of people being sent out in the appropriate calm manner. Everyone did their job, but with all the bomb scare going on, continuing the movie from the time you left it would have probably taken a lot more precious time, and time was a need yesterday.
Julian
Dec 6th 2009, 09:09
You can say that again!!
Oriana Vella
Dec 6th 2009, 08:52
I was there and when we went back in, the film didn't start from where we had left it. However, they told us that they could do nothing and to ask for a refund later. It showed lack of professionalism.
Charles Micallef
Dec 6th 2009, 08:23
These are the sick minds within our society, I just hope that with today's technology they are caught and brought to justice!
marthese mussett
Dec 5th 2009, 23:56
The culprits should be ashamed of themselves.My son was at the Eden cinema today,and this is the second bomb hoax at baystreet in the past few months.What pleasure they get after frightening people ,including children,I d love to know.Not to mention wasting precious police time.There are some very sick individuals on this island.