Dreams go Up in Flames at Universal Studios

One of Hollywood's largest movie studios starred in a disastrous sequel today as a fire ripped through a lot at Universal Studios, destroying a set from Back to the Future, a King Kong exhibit and a streetscape.

The second fire in nearly 20 years at the historic California site reduced facades to ashes and gutted buildings - creating the kind of catastrophe filmmakers delight in setting up for the cameras.

Thousands of videos chronicling Universal's movie and TV shows were destroyed in the blaze. But Universal officials said the footage could be replaced and they were thankful no-one had been seriously injured.

"We have duplicates of everything," said Ron Meyer, NBC Universal president and chief operating officer. "Nothing is lost forever."

The blaze broke out on a sound stage featuring New York brownstone facades around 4:30am at the 162-hectare property, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Michael Freeman said.

The fire was contained to the lot but burned for more than 12 hours before the final flames were extinguished.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. Damage was expected to be in the millions of dollars. NBC Universal said in a statement that the park would reopen tomorrow.

The iconic courthouse square from the Back to the Future movie was destroyed, and the famous clock tower that enabled Michael J Fox's character to travel through time was damaged, fire officials said.

Two mock New York and New England streets used both for movie-making and as tourist displays were a total loss, Los Angeles County Fire Inspector Darryl Jacobs said.

An exhibit housing a mechanically animated King Kong that bellows at visitors on a tram also was destroyed.

All three sites were either damaged or destroyed during another fire at Universal Studios in November 1990. That fire was started by a security guard who was sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty to arson.

The fire broke out along New York Street, where firefighting helicopters swept in for drops and cranes dumped water on the flames. A thick column of smoke rose thousands of feet into the air and could be seen for miles.

"It looked like a disaster film," said Los Angeles City Councilman Tom LaBonge.

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

Universal Studios, about 15km north of downtown Los Angeles, has thrill rides and a back lot where movies and television shows are filmed, including scenes from War of the Worlds, When Harry Met Sally, and Scrubs.

The fire did not affect the 2008 MTV Movie Awards, which went ahead at the Gibson Amphitheatre in the adjacent Universal CityWalk, according to the music network.