The Eugene O’Neill Theatre, home to Broadway’s long-running “The Book of Mormon,” was issued a full vacate order days after a fire broke out at the midtown theater.
According to the city’s Department of Buildings, which issued the order, the Monday fire damaged the theater’s spotlight room and its roof. There was additional fire damage to a nearby hotel, affecting three rooms of the hotel’s fifth floor.
“The Book of Mormon,” one of Broadway’s longest-running shows, had no scheduled performances on Monday. Performances for Tuesday and Wednesday were canceled, though it wasn’t clear how long the 1,108-seat theater would be out of operation.
The show’s producers and ATG Entertainment, which operates the Eugene O’Neill Theatre, were expected to release a statement sometime Wednesday.
Photo shows fire damage to roof of the Eugene O’Neill Theatre. (Courtesy: NYC Department of Buildings)
Officials inspect fire damage to Eugene O’Neill Theatre.
News 4 was at the scene just after the fire broke out at the West 49th Street theater. Multiple FDNY ladders extended to the roof as thick smoke billowed.
One firefighter suffered a minor injury, officials said. No other injuries were reported.
According to fire officials, the fire initially broke out in an electrical room between the fourth and fifth floors of the six-story theater. Firefighters knocked that down, then found more flames between the fifth floor and the roof.
Officials said various catwalks and rigs hampered their effort, but firefighters were eventually able to bring it under control.
The nine-time Tony Award-winning musical usually runs Tuesday through Sunday. There have been more than 5,000 performances of the show since opening at the theater in 2011.
A fire broke out at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre Monday morning.
“The NYFD is at the site of the fire now and are handling matters at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre,” ATG Entertainment said in a statement Monday. “Everyone has been safely removed from the theater. We will keep all parties abreast of this developing situation.”
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.