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COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A movie theater was evacuated on Wednesday night after smoke engulfed the Polaris-area building.

About 2,500 United Way volunteers were supposed to be treated to a free movie, but were ushered out of Rave Motion Pictures before the film even started, NBC 4 reported.

It turned out a popcorn popper caught fire, filling about a third of the building with smoke and sending fire crews racing to the building.

"Even though we had a full house and everyone was excited, we had to evacuate the building," said Jeremy Devine of Rave Motion Pictures. "Fortunately no one was hurt."

Theater management said they still hope to open to the public on Friday night.

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Posted by Dominic Espinosa (Member # 2122) on 08-04-2005, 05:35 PM:
 
A theater I worked at once had a popper fire durring a secret shopper visit. It made for an ... interesting report.
 

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Posted by Brian Hogan (Member # 940) on 08-04-2005, 05:55 PM:
 
thats why i would only go to the lennox 24. i find it quite funny how smaller theatre chains always come into an over saturated market like columbus. amc dominates that market, yet others always try to come in, only to leave with their tails between their legs.
 

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Posted by Mike Spaeth (Member # 524) on 08-04-2005, 06:08 PM:
 
Rave has been successful everywhere they've opened ...
 

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Posted by Kelly Skaggs (Member # 1780) on 08-04-2005, 06:34 PM:
 
I was opening a Theater for Great Escape, 5 minutes into the previews of the very first show one of the exit signs caught on fire and we had to evacuate. 4 days later the main pipe that feeds the sprinkler system busted at a joint and there was 1 foot of standing water in the entire building by the time we got it shut down. Then a week later there was a tornado spotted close to us so we had to get everyone to the halls and bathrooms. That builing was pure hell from the get go.
 

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Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 08-05-2005, 12:00 AM:
 
Did you ever notice that the coupler on the BIBs of popcorn oil is exactly the same as the ones for Dr. Pepper?

I know a kid who somehow hooked up a BIB of Dr. Pepper to the popcorn popper and tried to pop corn with it!

It didn't start a fire but it nearly did. The place was probably just as full of smoke regardless!
 

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Posted by Wolff King Morrow (Member # 2226) on 08-05-2005, 08:22 AM:
 
Is Shane working that location? I thought he worked a different one.
 

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Posted by Bill Carter (Member # 156) on 08-05-2005, 10:08 AM:
 
I once had a guy try to pop corn in Diet Pepsi syrup. He came and told me, "The popcorn smells really bad".

So, I asked him, "Didn't you notice the oil was dark brown when you pumped it in the kettle?"

His answer:

"Well, yes, but I thought it was just really old or something."

He had a wonderful evening, cleaning out that popper.
 

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Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 08-05-2005, 11:37 AM:
 
Our kettle was trashed. So was the oil pump.

Whatever's in Dr. Pepper syrup (? Phosphoric Acid ?) ate pits in the kettle when it got heated up. We didn't even try to clean it.
The butter pump and all the lines were just gummed up with sugar. Besides, when Dr. Pepper goes through a plastic hose it will contaminate the line. It will taste like Dr. Pepper forever. If you tried to put popcorn oil through it all your popcorn would taste like Dr. Pepper.

When I came downstairs to survey the damage myself I checked out the batch of popcorn. It LOOKED okay but it smelled like Dr. Pepper. I got a bright idea! Let's CHARGE EXTRA for Dr. Pepper flavored popcorn!

That idea eveporated rapidly when you tasted it! BURNED SUGAR!! BLECH!! Maybe, if they had shut the popper off sooner before the sugar scorched the idea might have worked but it was too late.

In retrospect, I think, maybe we should have kept the popper and used it to make flavored popcorn. Just put a couple SPOONS FULL of syrup in the kettle right when the popcorn starts popping them shut off the heat. Isn't that the way you're supposed to do it?
 

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Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 08-05-2005, 11:56 AM:
 
Brian Hogan said:

quote: Brian Hogan

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thats why i would only go to the lennox 24. i find it quite funny how smaller theatre chains always come into an over saturated market like columbus. amc dominates that market, yet others always try to come in, only to leave with their tails between their legs.

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quote: Brian Hogan

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thats why i would only go to the lennox 24. i find it quite funny how smaller theatre chains always come into an over saturated market like columbus. amc dominates that market, yet others always try to come in, only to leave with their tails between their legs.

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quote: John Hegel

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Why does everyone insist on corn first...)

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seed acts like a minature heat sink that absorbs the heat on the kettle surface, thus reducing the flash point when the oil is delivered.

Also, with using this safe practice, it reduces insurance claims that can evolve if oil is shot in first and the employee gets burned from flash fires that come from ill-proper training on the popper. Insurance companies have almost made this a mandantory practice in food handling practices. If this practice isn't followed and an employee gets burned, there could be a insurance fine issued to the theatre circuits.

If you want to do oil first, do it on the first batch. Shoot some oil on the cold kettle then turn the heat on until the oil almost looks like water and starts to steam. Temperature will be around 450 degrees. Then throw the seed in and your first batch will cook fast and will have fluffy results. BUT KEEP AN EYE ON THIS AT ALL TIMES...!

-Monte
 

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Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 08-08-2005, 12:24 PM:
 
Monte's last paragraph is exactly what we do here. Our old machine was a Manley, and in its manual it emphasized that the oil MUST be hot or else the kernels will be too small. I think Cretors has understandably sacrificed final product quality to save their butts from fire claims.

What we do here is, when the popcorn blows the lid off the popper, we turn the kettle heat off. By the time the corn has finished popping and is dumped, the kettle is cool enough that you can put another shot of oil in right away for the next batch and turn the heat back on at the same time. Oil gets nice and hot quickly, and the popcorn is great.
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 08-08-2005, 01:09 PM:
 
Now...Mike has a POPCORN COOKER! Manleys will blow a Cretors, or any other kettle maker out of the water any day of the week.

You can't destroy a Manley as you can do with a Cretors.

Keep 'em going, Mike.

-Monte
 

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Posted by John Hegel (Member # 628) on 08-08-2005, 11:39 PM:
 
Its to bad that you can't find Manley parts anymore. I have one with a dead kettle element, and since I can't find a new kettle I’m thinking of turning it into a fish tank.

The way that we would make perfect popcorn in out Manley was to start the kettle (empty) 5-7 minutes before we needed. When the kettle is hot add 1.5 turns of the oil crank, 1 1/4 cups of seed. Once the lid pops open add another 1 turn on the oil pump very slowly and then wait until it was completely done popping.

In doing it this way the whole batch has even oil distribution and a consistent kernel size.
 

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Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 08-09-2005, 10:01 AM:
 
Manley was the motiograph (or brenkert if that is your taste) of poppers
 

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Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 08-09-2005, 12:45 PM:
 
Monte - We were a Manley theatre for around 60 years before "going Cretors." The 1940 model was replaced with a 1980 model just after I got into the business, and that one was replaced with the Cretors Diplomat in '99, give or take a year or two. I remember the Manley machines had the same things in common -- they made great popcorn, but their kettle-dump and agitator construction were stupid, stupid, stupid. The Cretors is simple in design and built like a tank -- AND it makes great popcorn. And you can get parts -- always a plus!
 

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Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 08-10-2005, 06:22 PM:
 
I have had numerous openings where the poppers burnt. All of the times were electricians who hooked up the single phase as three phase. While the elements are 240 volt, the bulbs, motors, conditioner and oil pumps are 120 volt. The oil pump is intermittent and it does not usually burn, causing more and more oil to be dispensed. A fire ensues.

Why do I not stop this? I do not have authority in the stand. Even with protests, no one will listen. I do, however, make good money performing the "repair."

Louis
 

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