LOCAL : Fire Briefly Shuts Down Disney Computers at Burbank Office
Heavy smoke from burning batteries caused the shutdown of computers at a Disney Studios building in Burbank this morning. No injuries were reported and several occupants were safely evacuated.
The fire was reported at 5:45 a.m. in a four-story Disney building housing production offices at 500 S. Buena Vista St. Firefighters saw heavy black smoke coming from a battery room in the basement and evacuated three people.
More than 30 firefighters extinguished the fire by 6 a.m. No damage estimate was available, officials said.
Fire Capt. Steve Patterson said storage batteries that either shorted out or overheated sparked the blaze. Disney spokesman Tom Deegan said several batteries are stored in the basement as a power backup for the building.
Smoke from the fire triggered an alarm that prompted a brief shutdown of the studios’ computer system, he said. No data was lost.
A janitor and two computer operators were ordered to leave while firefighters contained the flames.
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