ITR - NEWSFLASH UPDATE ITN - for InTouchRadio.net (UK)

ITN News Latest from Los Angeles Universal Studios Fire - Sunday 22.50pm 1st June 2008

A fire has ripped through a back lot at Universal Studios in Los Angeles, destroying sets and thousands of videos and reels in a vault.

The blaze broke out on a sound stage at the Hollywood site, which spans hundreds of acres and includes a theme park and a lot where movies and television shows are filmed.

Roughly 40,000 to 50,000 videos and reels were in the video vault, but Universal Studios said there are duplicates stored in a different location.

The iconic courthouse square from Back to the Future was destroyed, and the famous clock tower that enabled Michael J Fox's character to travel through time was damaged, as was the King Kong exhibit.

Universal Studios spokesman Eliot Sekuler said a commercial shoot was going on when the fire broke out.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, and no initial damage estimates have been given. More than 100 firefighters have been battling the blaze, which has been contained but is still burning.

At one point the fire was two city blocks wide, and low water pressure forced firefighters to get reserves from lakes and ponds on the property.

Three firefighters suffered minor injuries.

The park reopened at noon on Sunday, however studio tram tours planned to avoid the King Kong attraction.

The fire will not affect the 2008 MTV Movie Awards, which is to be broadcast live Sunday night from the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, according to the music network.

A major blaze erupted at Universal Studios in November 1990, destroying sets for several TV and movie productions, including Dick Tracy and The Sting and causing $25 million (£12.5m) in damage.

A security guard was sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty to starting the fire.