This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost Australia, which closed in 2021.

Man Dies After Getting Head Stuck In Movie Theater Seat

The footrest on the electric seat clamped down on the victim’s head.

A man who got his head stuck in a reclining movie seat has died as a result of his injuries.

Ateeq Rafiq, a 24-year-old father in Birmingham, England, was seeing a movie on March 9 when he bent down to retrieve a phone that had dropped between the reclining seats.

When Rafiq bent down, the footrest on the electrically-powered seat apparently clamped down on his head, according to the Birmingham Mail newspaper.

A source told the paper how the freak accident happened:

“The Gold Class seats are electric reclining seats. He bent down to look for his phone. At this point the leg-rest was in an upright position. But as he stuck his head underneath to have a look, the footrest clamped down onto his head. He was stuck. His partner and staff tried to free him but couldn’t. The chair leg-rest was eventually broken free and he managed to get out.”

Rafiq was unconscious and reportedly suffered a cardiac attack during the incident, according to the Mirror. He was revived with CPR and taken to a nearby hospital where he died a week later on March 16.

After Rafiq’s death was announced, Vue International, which owns the theater where the tragic accident occurred, released a statement:

“A full investigation into the nature of the incident is ongoing. Our thoughts and condolences are with the family who have our full support and assistance.”

His family is devastated by the loss, according to sister-in-law Fatima Arzo.

“We are grieving and completely in shock. My sister is in pieces,” she told the Mirror. ”We are grateful to everyone who tried to help him, and at the moment we are praying and trying to come to terms with the fact we lost a loved one.”

Close
This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost Australia. Certain site features have been disabled. If you have questions or concerns, please check our FAQ or contact support@huffpost.com.