Vue admits failures after man crushed to death by reclining cinema seat
Ateeq Rafiq died after becoming trapped by electronic footrest in March 2018
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Your support makes all the difference.Vue cinemas has admitted to failures in health and safety following the death of a man who suffered “catastrophic” injuries after his neck was trapped by a reclining seat.
Ateeq Rafiq, 24, died after his head and neck got trapped under his seat at the StarCity entertainment complex in Birmingham in 2018.
Vue Entertainment Ltd admitted two charges at Birmingham Crown Court under the Health and Safety at Work Act.
The company pleaded guilty to failing to ensure that persons were not exposed to risk to their health and safety and failing to make a suitable and safe risk assessment between 1 January 2007 and 9 March 2018 in relation to the use of powered cinema seating, reported Birmingham Live.
Mr Rafiq, a father of one, had gone to the cinema with his wife Ayesha Sardar at 4.30pm on 9 March. They purchased tickets from a machine for seats in Gold Class, screen 17. They had sat in reclining seats with a footrest that pulled up.
When the movie ended, he realised he could not find his keys or phone and thought they may have fallen down the side of the seat.
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Mr Rafiq went under the seat to check, but the footrest quickly began to come down on him.
The inquest previously heard that his wife tried to hold it up when she realised what was happening and called for cinema staff.
The staff spent about 10 to 15 minutes trying to get the buttons that operated the footrest to work before Mr Rafiq was released.
Paramedics arrived at 7.55pm and took him to Heartlands Hospital, where he died on 16 March after suffering a hypoxic brain injury.
The inquest was told that the seat had been missing a bar that would have allowed Mr Rafiq to be released by hand, according to the BBC.
Birmingham coroner Emma Brown said there had been “missed opportunities to undertake comprehensive safety checks of the chairs” in her recording of a verdict of accidental death.
“If the seat had been fitted and maintained in the correct manner, Mr Rafiq would not have died,” she said.
A spokesperson for Vue said following the inquest: “We are shocked and saddened by this tragic accident and our sincerest thoughts and condolences go to Mr Rafiq’s family and friends.
“We have been listening carefully to all of the evidence and information and will now reflect on the findings of the inquest.”
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