Another Fire Sets Back Reopening of Ballroom
Two days before it was scheduled to reopen after a fire, the International Grand Ballroom was hit by another blaze that will keep the facility closed for another four to six months.
The fire in the ballroom attic late Friday was probably caused by faulty wiring, said Long Beach Fire Department spokesman Randy Grimm. Damages were estimated at $150,000. No injuries were reported, but 25 residents in an apartment building next door were evacuated.
The ballroom interior was damaged in an October fire. That blaze, which caused $40,000 in damage, was traced to a malfunctioning commercial refrigerator, said Ed McMahon, who has owned the downtown facility on East 1st Street for 22 years.
The ballroom, which opened in 1956, has been used for wedding receptions and private parties in recent years, McMahon said.
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