LAist is part of Southern California Public Radio (SCPR), a member-supported public media network. Hear our news on-air at our partner site:
See more photos here | Photo by Tom Andrews/LAist
Yesterday's all-day fire at Universal Studios, which engulfed two city movie-set blocks (destroying a part of the King Kong tour and one of the Back to the Future sets), was finally knocked down late in the afternoon. An investigation will be going into what caused the blaze, but also one is being called to look into the low-pressure water system that ultimately hindered firefighters in battling the flames.
Near the end of the fire, LA County Fire Department said it was focusing on the video vault. NBC Universal Chief Executive Ron Meyer told the LA times that "tapes were copies and could be replaced." However, as to music, the story may be different. Nikki Finke at LA Weekly's Deadline Hollywood Daily was tipped off to some nuances about the vault:
I've learned that Universal Music, which is a completely separate company and owned by Vivendi (which owns 20% of NBC Universal), rents space in the huge video vault housed on the studio lot. But one source tells me that, as a consequence, inside the video vault that was billowing thick black smoke were 1000's of original Decca, MCA, ABC recording masters from the last century including a wide range of music from Bing Crosby and the Andrew Sisters to Judy Garland and The Carpenters.
The fire, which injured 10 people, started around 4:45 a.m. and is the second one in the same spot since 1990. The MTV Movie Awards, which took place last night at Universal Studios, was not cancelled.
Previously on LAist
-- Photo Essay: Universal Studios Backlot Fire
-- UPDATE: Universal Backlot & Buildings Continue to Burn
-- Universal Backlot Fire Destroys Buildings and Facades (with images of the facades pre-fire)