AMC Roosevelt Field 8 theaters reopen after concessions fire

The AMC Roosevelt Field 8 theaters have reopened after a deep-fryer caught fire Saturday night sending moviegoers to the exits, theater and fire officials said.

The fire broke out in a concession fryer about 7 p.m., according to the Westbury Fire Department. Hot oil in one of the deep-well fryers, used for cooking French fries and onion rings, ignited in the front part of the theater complex, Westbury Fire Lt. Bryan Natoli said.

AMC employees were able to keep the flames under control with fire extinguishers until firefighters arrived to put the blaze out. The fire was extinguished within a couple of minutes of the fire company's arrival.

“I'd say it was a heavy smoke condition,” Natoli said of the damage.

All the moviegoers were cleared from the building and the theaters were closed Saturday night, the lieutenant said.

“It was evacuated for safety reasons,” he said.

While the AMC website said Sunday morning that the theater was closed due to “unforeseen repairs,” theater management confirmed it had reopened with screenings beginning at noon Sunday and staff was working toward updating the online listings.