A man who got his head caught underneath the footrest of an electric recliner seat at a Vue cinema in Birmingham while retrieving his phone has died.Ateeq Rafiq, 24, suffered cardiac arrest after attempting to retrieve his phone at screening in Birmingham multiplex
The unidentified man reportedly dropped his phone between the new Gold Class seats at the end of a film at the cinema in the Star City leisure complex.
The footrest is thought to have been raised when he picked up the phone but lowered and trapped his head.
It is believed the man then panicked and suffered a cardiac arrest as his partner and cinema staff tried to free him.
After the footrest broke free, the man was taken to hospital but he died a week later on 16 March, according to Birmingham Live.
West Midlands Ambulance Service confirmed that it was called to reports of a patient in cardiac arrest at Star City on Friday, 9 March at 7.06pm.
A spokesman said: ‘Crews arrived on scene to find a man in cardiac arrest with bystanders having already commenced CPR.
‘Ambulance staff took over and administered advanced life support, successfully managing to restart the man’s heart.
‘He was then transported to Heartlands Hospital for further treatment.’
A spokesman for Vue said: ‘Our thoughts and condolences are with the family who have our full support and assistance.’
An investigation has now been launched by Vue and Birmingham City Council’s Environmental Health department.
Mark Croxford, Head of Environmental Health at the council, said: ‘The City Council’s Environmental Health team were notified of this incident and a Health and Safety investigation has begun.
‘We are unable to comment further at this stage, as the investigation is ongoing.’
