Chunk of ceiling falls from Oakland museum

The entrance to The Oakland Museum of California. A Sunday, a chunk of the museum’s ceiling in one of the exhibit hall fell to the ground. The entrance to The Oakland Museum of California. A Sunday, a chunk of the museum’s ceiling in one of the exhibit hall fell to the ground. Photo: Josh Edelson, Special To The Chronicle Photo: Josh Edelson, Special To The Chronicle Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Chunk of ceiling falls from Oakland museum 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

As some Bay Area residents sought coverage at the Oakland Museum of California from a storm that slammed the region Sunday, they were stunned when a chunk of the ceiling came raining down inside one of the exhibit halls.

The chunk of ceiling fell in the All Power to the People: Black Panthers at 50 exhibit due to water damage, said Lindsay Wright, a spokeswoman for the Oakland Museum of California.

John Diaz, The Chronicle’s editorial page editor, was at the nearly 48-year-old museum around 3 p.m. when he heard a loud, sudden crash behind him.

A chunk of the acoustic ceiling tile fell to the floor, about five feet away from a child, he added.

But what alarmed Diaz most, he said, was the lack of concern from museum employees, acting as if someone had just spilled some coffee.

“Security was called and sectioned off the area,” Wright said, adding that the museum is working with the City of Oakland to replace the roof of that area in the building.

Sarah Ravani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani