Inferno destroys Hollywood's Universal Studios in California
Pastor Dale Morgan
Inferno destroys Hollywood's Universal Studios in California*
By John Hiscock in Los Angeles
Last Updated: 12:59AM BST 02/06/2008
BBC - A huge fire has turned Universal Studios into a towering inferno,
destroying a King Kong exhibit, a video vault and damaging the set to
Back to the Future.
The fire broke out early Sunday on New York Street and quickly ripped
through the equivalent of two city blocks, causing millions of pounds
worth of damage as it destroyed a sound stage, props from Peter
Jackson's King Kong and 40,000 reels of video.
The iconic courthouse square and clocktower from Back to the Future –
hit by a bolt of lighting and set on fire in the film – was partially
engulfed by the flames, police said.
It was the second time the set had been damaged by fire.
The destroyed sound stage was one of 30 on the 230-acre studio and had
been used in the movies The Incredible Hulk, Forgetting Sarah Marshall
and Clint Eastwood's latest film The Changeling.
It had also been used to film the Ally McBeal television series and was
one of the locations for the current series of The Ghost Whisperer.
Explosions rocked the area as several propane tanks in the 10,000 square
foot building were set off by the fire.
Several helicopters dropped water on the blaze, while at total of 400
firefighters fought to keep the fire from the studio's film vault, a
repository of valuable Hollywood film footage.
Three firefighters were injured as they battled the blaze.
Black smoke billowed 400 feet in the air and was visible for miles
around and ash and embers fell across Hollywood.
Millions of tourists know New York Street, which is part of the
Universal Studios tour and has been used in many films, including King
Kong and Cinderella Man.
Officials confirmed that most of the videos in the video vault had been
destroyed but could be replaced.
The adjoining Universal City Walk and theme park were not affected by
the fire but were closed yesterday because of the smoke and falling
ashes and the streets around the area were sealed off.
Los Angeles City Councilman Tom LaBonge, who represents the Hollywood
area, said: "It's very sad. I was out hiking early and I saw the thick
black smoke coming from the studio. It looked like a disaster film."
Fire Chief Michael Freeman said: "The sets and facades are mainly made
of heavy timbers, foam and plastic, so they go up in flames very
quickly. The fire started on New York Street and moved through the area
extremely fast because they are basically building fronts with some walls."
Police said about three-quarters of a building housing a King Kong
exhibit was destroyed. A building that holds a video vault of original
and master versions of old movies had been destroyed and the vault
itself had been "compromised."
He said the Wisteria Lane set used for the Desperate Housewives series
was not affected.
It was the second major fire at Universal Studios, which opened in 1915.
In 1990 a blaze caused £30 million of damage, destroying several sets
including New York Street and the famous Courthouse Square area used in
the films Ben Hur and Back To The Future.
It took several years for the area to be rebuilt.