SelectPlusUniversal Studios Reopens After Damaging FireUniversal Studios Reopens After Damaging FireThe Associated PressTourists got a view of real-life disaster in the make-believe world of Hollywood on Monday as the Universal Studios theme park reopened after a huge fire swept through back lot sets and buildings. (June 2)[Notes:aptn] The smell of smoke is still lingering... but fire-damaged Universal Studios theme park has re-opened. [Notes:aptn]15:40:48we're coming in today b/c we weren't able to get in yesterday. So that's why we're here todayJOSE buciojose [Notes:aptn] Tourists on the park's tram car got a glance of crews cleaning up Monday [Notes:on scene video: video has bug]after a huge fire swept through back lot sets. [Notes:aptn sound] 15:35:37SOT: WE ARE OPEN FOR BUSINESS AS YOU CAN SEE. OUR GATES RE-OPENED AT 10AM AS SCHEDULED. CITYWALK IS OPEN, RIDES AND ATTRACTIONS ARE OPERATING. THINGS ARE GETTING BACK TO NORMAL. [Notes:pool]Some of its most famous sets-- including the courthouse square from "back to the future" and a street scape featured in "spider man two" and "transformers" were destroyed. The fire Sunday morning also destroyed a fan-favorite: the King Kong attraction. [Notes:aptn] sot: that's too bad. That was the point of coming here. HAVE YOU SEEN IT BEFORE? Yeah, several times. I'm a local [Notes:newsreel: bug on video]Thousands of videos were also destroyed-- but fortunately, there were duplicates of them. Nine firefighters and a sheriff's deputy suffered minor injuries fighting the fire. It was contained to the back lot but burned for 12 hours while low water pressure hampered crews efforts to put out the flames. A Universal Studios official said it's "too soon" to say whether King King and the other attractions would be replaced by new attractions. ___ ___, The Associated Press.
