According to a Disneyland spokesperson , a small fire broke out on Sunday at a loading dock to the north of the major attractions. The fire was quickly extinguished within 20 minutes of discovering the flames, although the skyward reaching black smoke revealed the incident to the park visitors. A pillar of black smoke was noticeable from the far reaches of the Disneyland parking lot at around 4:45 PM, near gate 7, on Sunday afternoon. Despite the nefarious plume looming overhead, there was no danger to the patrons of the park.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_vtZhTkORA
A quick response time by the Disneyland fire department ensured the safety of the guests and the park itself. Integral services, such as the Tram and other popular park attractions, continued to run on schedule during the fire. An evacuation of the park was not initiated nor was there any signal of alarms to the visitors. The only known interruption was on Ball Road, which provided outside access to the loading dock area.
A guest named Merle commented , “We noticed there weren’t large numbers of people leaving the park so we assumed there was no big evacuation or anything.”
Although Merle was not worried about the safety aspect of the fire and Disneyland’s ability to handle the situation, others felt worried about the situation, unsure whether the fire would become a threat, or if the day would be ruined by the fire’s threat.
Sabrina Cole, a visitor to the park , stated, “I was actually worried. It’s my first time being down here in California going to Disneyland. I was like ‘Oh God, don’t tell me it’s on fire.”
Originally thought to have started within a trailer in a lot behind the park, the Disneyland staff and fire department soon realized that the fire had originated in a trash receptacle near a loading dock. There is no definitive cause of the fire at this time; however it does not appear to be suspicious in nature. An ongoing investigation will continue to definitively rule out arson. A trip to Disneyland is expected to be a happy and fun time for all that experience the happiest place on earth. The threatening tower of smoke and the concealed fire did not seem to damper the mood of the park at all. Many visitors shared the experience with the world via tweeted pictures and comments that reported on the pillar of smoke. Despite the brief excitement that developed during the ordeal, Disneyland continued business as usual and presented each guest with the best possible experience without missing a beat. Photo Courtesy: HPI Emblem
