Emergency crews responded to the Longhorn Steakhouse near the Maine Mall on Friday after part of the restaurant’s ceiling collapsed during dinner service, officials said.

Members of the South Portland Police and Fire departments arrived at the restaurant around 6:40 p.m., the departments said in a joint release.

Employees had noticed ceiling tiles beginning to fall and moved patrons out of the way shortly before the ceiling came down, the departments said. Bystanders also helped some patrons out from under the debris, they said.

One person was evaluated by EMS crews but declined to be taken to the hospital, officials said.

Fire Chief Phil Selberg estimated that 150 people were in the restaurant when the ceiling fell.

“This situation could have been much worse,” Selberg said. “The collapsed section appeared to be an architectural element of the ceiling and was quite substantial. We are fortunate that no one was seriously injured.”

The building is being evaluated by inspectors with the South Portland Code Enforcement Office, the departments said.