Day one of the Apex 2015 tournament held in New Jersey was cancelled today after concerns about the structural integrity of the proposed playing area were raised, apparently following the accidental triggering of a fire alarm by customer at the hotel. The fire marshals declared the ballroom unfit for use due to the partial collapse of the roof, related to the recent bad weather, and eventually informed the event organisers that the venue was closed until further notice, with rumours of criminal charges being brought against the manager.

Alex Jebailey, a well-known tournament organiser in the fighting game community, has tweeted that the hotel manager at the original venue, the Clarion Hotel, was arrested for negligence, although ESH cannot confirm that at this time. Long-time supporters of the scene Twitch stepped in following the cancellation to help find the new venue for the event, which is now set to run over just two days, and the action should begin from the venue at the Garden State Convention Centre, 50 Atrium Drive, Somerset as soon as possible on Saturday to make up for the lost time.

With Apex 2015 set to be the biggest Smash event in the history of the competitive scene and the connection with Nintendo forged by the group in the run-up this latest embarrassment is just one in a long line that has dogged the planning process. Dating back to the cancellation of Project M and the way they refused as a group to address the issue with the fans and running through the disgrace of Alex Strife to this current event disaster, this has tested Apex to the limit, and the fallout may not be over yet.

The real concern might be over what could have happened if the alarm had not been triggered and the event had gone ahead under the faulty roof, and how the group failed to make the proper checks to ensure the safety of the competitors ahead of time. How this weekend turns out will be fascinating, with over a thousand entrants and a reduced schedule, but in the longer term the potential danger competitors narrowly avoid could be a serious problem for the people responsible for planning and organising Apex 2015.