The attraction opened in July 1992. In September that year a small fire on
the roof of the attraction fuelled the flames of publicity:
September 24
1992 - A fire in air-conditioning ducts above Backdraft
causes the attraction to be evacuated. Around 500 tourists
were watching the burning warehouse part of the attraction
when a air-conditioning contractor accidentally set fire to
ducting while soldering a copper pipe at around 4pm. The cardboard ducting
caught fire causing black smoke to blow into the burning warehouse.
No members of the public panicked as they thought the black
smoke was part of the presentation.
Around 800 people were
evacuated from the attraction and the immediate area, and Backdraft
was closed for the rest of the day. The damage was estimated
at $150,000. The fire was put out within 15 minutes by the
firefighters based at the fire station on the Universal backlot
by pouring water onto the smoking air conditioning plant on
the soundstage roof.
(Stills taken from a news report on the fire at www.youtube.com)
