An animatronic at Universal Orlando caught fire late last month when the attraction was closed to the public, according to the Orlando Fire Department.
Nobody was hurt in the Aug. 27 blaze, which was reported just before 10 a.m.
“The fire had damaged the machinery only” and did not damage the building, the fire incident report said. The Orlando Fire Department responded to the fire on the 6000 block of Universal Boulevard.
“Upon arrival, the fire was extinguished by Universal staff,” the Fire Department said in a statement to Florida Politics. “There were no injuries, nor extension of the fire. The attraction was closed when the incident occurred.”
When Florida Politics requested public records, the Orlando Fire Department said there were no 911 calls related to the incident.
The Fire Department’s report does not indicate which ride caught fire, but all signs point to Skull Island: Reign of Kong at Universal Islands of Adventure.
“During routine maintenance, the King Kong animatronic sustained damage and is undergoing repairs,” Universal Orlando said this week in a previous media statement. “We look forward to welcoming guests back once the work is complete.”
Attractions Magazine reported that Universal had not previously announced a refurbishment for the King Kong ride before the attraction was abruptly shut down.
Universal did not immediately respond to a request for comment late Wednesday afternoon.
The King Kong ride, which opened in 2016, takes visitors on a truck expedition past winged creatures and dinosaurs until the trek reaches the giant Kong himself.
“Towering nearly three stories tall, he is so close that you can feel his breath and sense his emotion,” Universal said in a press release when the ride opened.
The ride has been involved in tragedy before.
The same year the ride opened, a 38-year-old Guatemalan tourist died of a heart attack after collapsing following the ride. The man had a prior heart condition and wasn’t a native English speaker, so he couldn’t read the health warnings about the ride, according to a lawsuit filed by his family.