Early this morning a fire broke out on the Universal Studios backlot which at the time of this post is still blazing. Reports vary but anywhere between 100 & 300 firefighters were called to the scene to battle the fire, which has caused extensive damage to the famous backlot as well as a building housing their King Kong exhibit.
The fire began during a film shoot, but which movie has not been mentioned.
So far one firefighter has been injured but thankfully no deaths have been reported. The word is that so far the studio has suffered extensive damage to the sets on the lot and that a lot of memorabilia has been lost.
If any of our readers live in the area please feel free to update us based on local news below.
Source: FirstShowing.net
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36 Comments
http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/urgent-universal-studios-fire-flaming/
Looks like they were taking archives out. Dang, I hope old movies, props, posters, etc., all irreplaceable, weren’t damaged.
Heath
i live in los angeles.
still no deaths reported.
the video vault has been damaged ,
but only copies no massters.
anything lost in the video room can be duplicated .
NO FILM HAS BEEN LOST .
the King Kong attraction has been destroyed .
the theme park and
citywalk are untouched they open at noon .
i heard unconfirmed reports we lost the hill valley sets from the back to the future sets. again unconfirmed .
Most important,
NO LOSS OF LIFE.
i think they just said we lost the clock tower from back to the future seinfeld new york sets new york street is completely gone fire is contained but far from being out.
firefigters currently trying to save the video vault . the cause of the fire is unknown.
Firestarted at 445am.
Oh no!!!
What the hell happened? Sabotage?
I mean what I hear from those around, is that it’s a pretty big chunk of stuff that went with the fire. Stuff that was going to be used for BluRay disc. I am guessing it’s props, audio tracks and wardrobe.
I can’t confirm this. Anyone out there can confirm what’s been lost?
This is bad… They should start putting their old props up in film museums around the country.
R.I.P. whatever has been lost in the great fire… I hope old films were kept elsewhere.
“URGENT! Universal Studios Backlot Fire: NYC Streetscape & King Kong Destroyed; Video Vault Damaged But Film Vault Safe.”
This just reminds me of the 1990 fire. This is bad… very bad.
Which King Kong has been damaged?
790 you ok man?
people living in teluca lake have been advised to leave the area for awhile ,
worried about smoke inhaltion.
4 firefigters injured. no report on the 4th. 3 have minor injuries .
damage to the ghost whisperer set .
thats the most significant damage to TV production so far .
The black smoke on TV is coming from burning plastic containers in the video vault
firefigter are cocentrating on salvage .
they are working really hard on preserving our film history right now.
Courtyard Square was damaged ,
Lots of films were shot there,
most of the damage is in the backlot area .
Its all about putting out the fire at the video vault.
They are using 12 different water lines on that fire.
its expected to go on for several more hours .
they just said the worst is over.
Thanks Gary for keeping us up to date!!
Hope no one is seriously hurt.
No problem Stephen,
Its OK now but they had to put out fires that were caused by erupting propane tanks .
I thought i heard a reprt awhiloe ago about the sets To the Thing being damaged
trying to get confirmation on that now .
Funny, i just mentioned the Thing in my last post!
NPR reprts the clock tower from back to the future was damageed not destroyed.
Only 2 of the 8 ghost whisperer locations were damaged .
no movies shoots wre affected by the fire.
they were shooting a commercial at the time.
wow, that’s bad news.
Fortunately the film vault is safe.
But I didn’t knew they preserved all the old sets? isn’t that a liitle but too big sometimes??
Good that no film was lost, and no shotting was interrupted, and of course, nobody is killed in the fire!
greets,
Steven
Yeah thanks Stephen I’m good.
First off, check those related stories for a good laugh.
“Man On Fire” review. LMAO!
Wow (as I’m typing this) we just had a massive sonic Boom here in Toluca Lake at 2:28 PST. I don’t know what that was. ???? Shhessh. That was big. (I think something just happend).
Yeah this morning as I was sleeping around 4:30am I heard this bang sound outside my apt. Then another, then another I was like “who’s slamming the gate outside?”.
Then at least 10 more bangs.
Then I started hearing police car sirens that were very close. Lying there in bed it sounded like there was a huge car wreck somewhere close by. Then more sirens and more banging sounds. Well this finally woke up the neighbor upstairs. I could hear her saying “oh my god, oh my god. At least 9 times. She has a good view of the backlot from her window.
Well at that point I turned on the radio and they were reporting that there was a night commercial shoot going on and somehow it started a fire that had burned down the Back to the Future set.
Then the helocopters came, and never left. It sounded like the beach attack from Apocalypes Now outside. (Its 5am thanks!).
Needless to say I went back to sleep. (I knew the fire wouldn’t jump the LA river).
Looking out my window now, luckly we seem to be downwind of the smoke. I can’t see any smoke and the helocopters have finally buzzed off….
Wow what a morning.
Good news, I’m allmost postive that they will rebuild the Clock tower from Back to the Future and also Animal House. They also shoot Desperate housewives there so there going to have to rebuild.
The film vault damage was all copies so that’s not a huge tragedy….. But shesseh what a huge mess and so far 3 firefighters have been taken to the hospital.
Check drudge report for photos.
I can hear more helocopters now I’m wondering if something else caught fire after that boom sound. Ghessh.
i didnt know you were so close 790,
Glad you are OK.
nothing about that sonic boom on the news but there hasent been a lot of local live coverage.
Dissapointing really .
790,
what you heard was an explosion
two injuries are reported.
i assume they are firefighters ,
no confirmation on that.
Thanks Gary, yeah I live less than a mile from Universal, luckly the wind is blowing the other way.
After that sonic boom I heard some more sirens and since then the helocopters are back flying in circles over the place. Maybe a transformer blew. I’m sure there will be some news soon.
If I hear anything new I’ll let you know…..
It was a propane tank explosion.
there were two injured.
one firefighter and one sherriffs deputy .
it turns they closed the theme park after all.
they felt the flames were too close .
Wise decision.
Ghhesh yeah that tank exploded as I was writing my first post here today.
How’s that for real-time blogging!
It sounds like the attack on Cyberdyne outside.
I’m going to do something I usualy don’t do on the weekends.
Go outside and check this out.
Stay tuned.
they just said the fire might have been caused by an exploding cylinder.
I dont know what the cylinder contained.
8 firefighters injured.
nothing critical so far.
the latest live report had the sound of an ambulance,
ther might be a new injury .
ther were problem with pressure fror the water lines the firefighters used.
at one point they had go to lakes and ponds to replenish their water supply the firefighters will be fighting the fire until late in the evening,
to mop up the fire and check for hot spots that might reignite.
thyey now believe the fire started at 430am not 445.
they now believe the fire started at 430am not 445.
The cause of the fire MIGHT be a cylinder full of natural gas that exploded .
but firefighters have not yet certified a cause.
Well you can smell it when you walk outside that’s for sure. There’s 2 helocopters hovering over the mess.
Big trees and wind patterns are keeping most smoke away from my place. Wheeew
I can see how there could be some evacs from Toluca lake. The area is full of celebs and rich people and the smoke is blowing in thru the huge golf course towards North Hollywood.
(I hope they get this thing out before work tomarrow.).
I would think a couple of water drops would put this out but I didn’t see that???
It looks like the fire is still hot, I could see the Fire fighters pouring water on the area with water cannons. There’s still alot of thick white smoke coming out of the area.
I can’t believe that Universal would even consider have the trams go through or even around that.
What if that explosion went off near the trams. That’s just dumb. They could have been sued bigtime.
Anyway I’m back inside now.
This has been 790 on scene, back to you Gary….!
Gary,
That would make sense, I woke up around 4:30 and I did hear several explosions.
They sounded like small weapons fire from inside my apt. They could have been the cylinders?
Back to you Gary…..!
10 injuries so far ,
five firefighters from from the Los Angeles city fire department .
4 from the county .
and 1 sheriffs deputy .
the deputy and a firefighter were standing 50 feet from one of those propane tanks when you heard that sonic boom 790,
and its good that smoke didnt make it to your house.
the fire department is really worried about potential health risks they are having it analyzed.
Wow sure hope those Fire Fighters are ok,
I’ve heard that the fire is now under control…..
Music history (Universal) destroyed, including master recordings of Bing Crosby, etc.
http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/update-universal-fire-burns-music-history/
heath
Damn.
thats too bad Heath,
I hope the losses dont get worse as we learn more about the actual extent of the damage.
Bad day.
ALL Of the injured have been treated and released.
Great news Gary, I heard they had 400 Fire Fighters on scene today….
That’s alot….! Shows you how valuable the show biz industry is to this town. Eh?
Yes 790,
400 Heroes .
as I was watching this yesterday I kept thinking firefighters are not paid enough.
Major film prints (NOT negatives), including Frankenstein, are gone. Universal is pledging to make new prints.
http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/uni-fire-burned-100-of-archived-35mm-prints-negatives-still-intact-however-but-art-houses-cultural-orgs-film-societies-affected/
heath
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