Chunk of Ceiling Falls at Costa Mesa Movie Theater

A chunk of ceiling in the Edwards Mesa Cinema fell on seats Thursday night just as a movie was ending, but missed movie-goers.

Tyler Mahan, 22, of Costa Mesa said the 3- to 4-foot piece crumbled as it hit the seats. The nearest people, he said, were two rows away.

“We were sitting in the theater watching “That Thing You Do” and the credits started to roll . . .” Mahan said. “A big chunk of the ceiling over toward our right gave way. I just looked over at my mom and said, ‘Let’s get out of here just in case something else happens.’ We all kind of looked over to make sure no one was hurt, and a few other people did the same.”

The theater employees refused to comment. Movies continued to be shown at the theater.

Mahan said he and his family had “noticed a musty smell” when they walked into the theater at 19th Street and Newport Boulevard and saw that part of the ceiling toward the front “was already gone.” An area under the missing section had been roped off, he said.

He said the chunk fell on the right side of the theater, midway up.

“It made a pretty big sound. Everyone in the theater heard it.”