Fire Breaks Out at Disneyland, Damages Historic Attraction

Marisa Losciale
·2 min read
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The extent of the damage is currently unknown, but luckily, no injuries were reported.

Shortly after the winter holidays, a fire broke out at Disneyland in Anaheim, California, damaging the New Orleans Square train station–one of the theme park's most historic attractions.

Anaheim Fire Department officials confirmed to The Orange County Registrar that a fire erupted on the property during the early morning hours of Thursday, Dec. 29. Disney Park employees working the overnight shift alerted authorities to the small fire around 3:29 a.m. and firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze quickly.

Luckily no injuries have been reported.

Anaheim police and fire spokesperson Sgt. Jacob Gallacher told local reporters that after responding to the initial report of a small structure fire in the radio house of the New Orleans Square train station at Disneyland, the Anaheim Fire Department and the on-site Disneyland Fire Department crews eliminated the flames in 15 minutes.

The fire is said to have damaged the park's train station radio house in New Orleans Square depot–which employees use as a break room–and a water tower used to refill the steam engines, though the extent of the damage is currently unknown.

Related: Why Walt Disney World's Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Is Shutting Down in 2023

Cast Members later confirmed that Disneyland sectioned off the area affected by the fire with a temporary 20-foot-tall beige barrier, which blocked the damaged buildings from parkgoers' view, as shown by an image shared on the popular social media platform Reddit.

Disneyland's New Orleans Square is based on the original set built for the 1948 musical So Dear To My Heart, that combined live action and animation, according to WDW News Today.

The telegraph office at the New Orleans Square train station is also known for playing a morse code message recounting Walt Disney's opening day dedication to the park in 1955, per the blog Finding Mickey.

"TO ALL WHO COME TO DISNEYLAND, WELCOME. HERE AGE RELIVES FOND MEMORIES OF THE PAST, AND HERE YOUTH MAY SAVOR THE CHALLENGE AND PROMISE OF THE FUTURE," the repeating message reads.