By Sue Zeidler

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – A massive fire broke out at Universal Studios film and TV studio on Sunday, engulfing one soundstage and burning a New York City street set.

A total of 300 firefighters from several Los Angeles-area fire departments were battling the blaze, said L.A. County Fire Inspector Frank Garrido.

Garrido said the fire had been contained to a single structure, the “King Kong” exhibit, by 9 a.m. (1600 GMT)

“A total of five structures within the New York exhibit, including one soundstage, were lost,” he said, adding that the blaze had started in the backlot area depicting New York City, which was destroyed.

He said about three-quarters of a building housing a “King Kong” exhibit was destroyed. A building that holds a video vault of original and master versions of old movies had been destroyed and the vault itself had been “compromised.”

The exact monetary damage had not yet been fully assessed.

Garrido said the studio’s theme park and popular City Walk shopping center would be opened Sunday, although tours to the backlot, where the fire occurred, had been cancelled.

Television coverage showed trucks with water cannons dousing flames from one soundstage, and smoke poured into the air causing a haze that blanketed parts of west Los Angeles and the Hollywood area.  Continued…