Floor Safety Concerns Prompt Fire Marshall to Evacuate Tabernacle in Atlanta

ATLANTA — Tabernacle, a 2,600-capacity concert venue here housed in a building built in 1911, was evacuated Feb. 7 when about 300 people rushed toward the stage two songs into a Panic! At the Disco performance. Attendees along with safety officials noticed something appeared to be amiss with the venue’s flooring.

After reportedly observing visible signs of potentially dangerous floor movement from the level below the stage, and fearful of the floor buckling and collapsing, Ulysses Gladden, the fire marshal on duty with Atlanta Fire and Rescue, ordered the venue closed for inspection. The evacuation was orderly and no injuries were reported.

A performance by country singer Corey Smith that had been set for Feb. 8 was rescheduled for May 8.

Venue management has since reported that an inspection of the floor’s structural elements revealed that although wooden supports had split, a complete structural failure of the floor system was unlikely. Venue management added that while the Lauryn Hill concert set for Feb. 13 had been postponed to Feb. 17 due to weather, the sold-out Trey Anastasio Band performance set for the venue on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14, was expected to be staged as planned.