I get off the elevator. The scientist in the ceiling is pulled up. I look up in to the hole in the ceiling, turn on my flash light, and crash.
Happened again after I relaunched the game and repeated the steps.
EDIT: On a 3rd attempt, I found that if I waited 5 seconds, the frame rate stuttered, smoothed out, and then it worked fine. Perhaps related to the electrical effects down the hall?
EDIT: the sode and snack machines in the locked room to the right (where the scientist is barnacle-ed up in to the ceiling) can not be broken into.
EDIT: Same with another snack machine close to the exit of this level (normal route, not alternate - tiny hallway with red doors on both ends)