Snow May Be to Blame for Collapse at Historic Pennsylvania Theater

Melting snow may be to blame after part of a roof collapsed at a theater in Erie.

A restoration company was called to stabilize the Warner Theatre after Saturday’s partial collapse. Officials say a mound of snow behind a low stone wall designed to hide the sloped roof pushed forward like a glacier.

Officials estimate that more than a ton of concrete, bricks and debris fell from the back of the theater.

The 2,250-seat theater was built as a movie house for $1.5 million and opened in 1931. The theater has undergone extensive restoration within the last decade.

It’s home to the Erie Philharmonic, the Lake Erie Ballet and is the venue for various entertainment.
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Information from: Erie Times-News