By MES Dispatch staff
The Briefing
• Fire crews responded to a fire in the attic of the historic Magic Castle event venue in Hollywood, California, on Tuesday evening.
• The Los Angeles Fire Department deployed 68 firefighters who knocked down the blaze in about 41 minutes.
• The fire started near the roof where work had been done earlier in the day, and that work is being examined as a possible cause.
• No injuries were reported, and crews continued salvage and smoke-removal operations.
• The extent of structural damage to the 117-year-old building has not yet been determined.
HOLLYWOOD, CA — A fire broke out in the attic of the Magic Castle, a historic Hollywood event venue and home of the Academy of Magical Arts, Tuesday evening, fire officials said.
The Los Angeles Fire Department responded to reports of flames and smoke from the roof of the three-story Victorian structure just before 5:30 p.m. at 7001 W. Franklin Avenue.
Firefighters operating in offensive mode coordinated roof ventilation, fire suppression and salvage efforts, and a total of 68 personnel knocked down the fire in about 41 minutes, according to the LAFD.
Employees reported that workers had been performing roof work earlier in the day using blow torches, which officials have identified as a possible factor in the fire, though an official cause has not been confirmed.
No injuries were reported, and crews remained on scene conducting damage assessment, smoke removal and salvage operations, fire officials said.
The iconic venue, opened as the Magic Castle in 1963 and built in 1909, is a private clubhouse and performance space for members of the Academy of Magical Arts.