UNIVERSAL STUDIOS ON FIRE

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Sunday, June 1, 2008
Large fire breaks out at Universal Studios
Theme park will open later at noon.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
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UNIVERSAL CITY A massive fire tore through a back lot at Universal Studios early today, destroying a set from "Back to the Future," the King Kong exhibit and a video vault containing more than 40,000 videos and reels.

The blaze broke out on a backlot sound stage in a set featuring New York brownstone facades around 4:30 a.m. at the 400-acre property, but was contained later in the day, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Michael Freeman said.

Roughly 40,000 to 50,000 videos and reels were damanged in the vault, but there were duplicates stored in a different location, NBC Universal President and Chief Operating Officer Ron Meyer said.

"Nothing is lost forever," he said.

Meyer said the park would open at noon, three hours later than usual. On a typical weekend day about 25,000 people visit the theme park. However, tram tours would avoid the King Kong attraction, Universal spokesman Eliot Sekuler said.

The videos included every film that Universal has produced and footage from television series like "Miami Vice" and "I Love Lucy." Firefighters recovered hundreds of those titles from the vault, Freeman said.

The iconic courthouse square from "Back to the Future," was also destroyed, Freeman said, and the famous clock tower that enabled star Michael J. Fox's character to time travel was damaged.

Los Angeles County Fire Inspector Daryl Jacobs said as many as three blocks of movie facades were desroyed, including two mock New York and New England streets used for filmmaking and tourist displays.

A commercial shoot was going on when the fire broke out, Sekuler said. The cause of the fire was under investigation. Universal Studios is located nine miles north of downtown Los Angeles and has thrill rides and a back lot where movies and television shows are filmed. One of the more familiar backlot attractions is the house featured in "Psycho."

Scenes from several blockbuster films and television shows have been filmed at the studios, including "War of the Worlds," "When Harry met Sally" and "Scrubs."

The fire, however, will not affect the 2008 MTV Movie Awards, which is to broadcast live tonight at 5 from the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, according to the music network.

More than 100 firefighters tried to prevent the flames from spreading to nearby brush. A thick column of smoke rose thousands of feet into the air and for a time, helicopters swept in to drop water. Three firefighters suffered minor injuries.