MERRILLVILLE, Ind. - About 1,800 people were evacuated from a theater in Merrillville when a fire broke out on stage.


Ross Township Fire Chief Ed Yerga says a curtain on the right side of the stage caught fire about 8:10 p.m. Wednesday during a performance of "Shanghai Circus Live" at northwest Indiana's Star Plaza Theatre.

Yerga says the audience and performers were safely ushered out of the building and the sprinkler system put out the fire.

Fire damage was limited to the stage area, and Yerga says there was smoke and water damage to the first 10 rows of seats.

He says the cause of the fire is under investigation, but it could have been a stage light or audio equipment.

Yerga says no pyrotechnics were used in the show.

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Information from: The Times, http://www.thetimesonline.com

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