ONLOOKERS feared the worst when a fire truck turned up outside Warrnambool's Capitol Cinema yesterday afternoon less than a day after it re-opened following a devastating fire last August.
An overcooked batch of popcorn set off alarms in the building and fire station alert system as moviegoers enjoyed the first day of programming in the revamped theatres.
Fortunately the smoke was dispersed and the incident turned into nothing more than a false alarm.
A CFA spokesman said popcorn cooking procedures would be changed to avert an similar incidents.
"It's good the alarms work well," the fire officer said.