SDCC 2023: Burnt food triggered fire alarm Friday night, but everyone's okay
A frightening moment leads to a positve resolution at San Diego Comic-Con 2023
On Friday evening at Comic-Con International: San Diego 2023, fire alarms went off in the San Diego Convention Center. The alarm paused multiple panels including a major DC panel - Jim Lee & Friends - and a host of announcements including its next major event, Titans: Beast World.
Popverse staff was on-hand for the Jim Lee & Friends panel and watched as the alarm rung out through the room and how the crowd - and the industry people on the stage reacted. While at first there was talk in the crowd about evacuating, Jim Lee - as in DC CCO/President Jim Lee - received word from a convention spokesperson and eased fears.
"I think we're okay," Lee said to the audience. "I think it's a false alarm."
A quick-witted (albiet possibly tone deaf) response from a member of the crowd then echoed through the room: "I'll burn for you!"
By that time, a few minutes had passed and the alarm - both the sound and the lights - were stopped, and DC resumed the panel.
Legendary Comics' Robert Napton, who was on-stage with DC in promotion of their joint venture: Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong even quipped "It was actually an immersive kaiju alert."
The panel ultimately concluded, and the night went on for San Diego Comic-Con 2023 with no more alarms that we know of.
We're also told nearby Room 11, hosting the panel 'How to Use Hypnotic Language for Dynamic Storytelling', was evacuated due to the fire alarm.
The next morning, Popverse tracked down the source of the fire alarm. In an email response to Popverse's query about the alarm, an unnamed San Diego Comic Con spokesperson said, "A fire alarm was triggered yesterday when a piece of food was inadvertently burnt. The matter was discovered as it happened, addressed and word went out that there was no need for concern."
