Huge fire burns movie sets at Universal Studios
King Kong exhibit a total loss; filming was going on when blaze broke out
NBC News and news services
updated 39 minutes ago
UNIVERSAL CITY, California - A massive fire raged on a back lot filled with movie sets at Universal Studios early Sunday, spewing thick smoke as it devoured several buildings.
Los Angeles County fire Inspector Daryl Jacobs said at least one building had burned and as many as three blocks of movie facades were destroyed. Though the fire was contained, it was still raging, Jacobs said.
Firefighters told NBC News that the King Kong exhibit building would be a total loss.
Two helicopters and about 200 firefighters were trying to protect the film vaults on Universal City's back lot, authorities said. One firefighter was reported injured and taken to a local hospital. "The facades are constructed of heavy timber and they tend to burn quite freely," Jacobs said.
Universal Studios spokesman Elliot Sekuler said filming was going on when the fire broke out.
The blaze broke out just before dawn on a sound stage, fire Capt. Frank Reynoso said. A thick column of smoke rose thousands of feet into the air. For a time, firefighters helicopters swept in to drop water.
Firefighters were working to ensure the flames didn't spread to nearby brush, Reynoso said. There was at least one explosion, Reynoso said.
The studio said Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal CityWalk would be open Sunday for normal business hours. It said adjustments would be made to the studio tour but that no other rides and attractions were affected.
Universal City is nine miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Some of the more familiar attractions on the back lot are the clock tower from the "Back To The Future" movies and the house featured in "Psycho."
According to Universal's Web site, there have been six previous big fires in the studios' history.
