Hollywood Sign Nearly Set in Flames

The world-renowned sign greeting those who enter the home of cinema, Hollywood, California, was engulfed with smoke and flames Saturday, following a 150-acre fire that started nearby. No injuries or damage to buildings was reported. The blaze started near Universal Studios, in near by Burbank, South of the Warner Bros. Studios complex. 200 fire fighters accompanied by helicopters fought the flames which reached the Warner Bros. Studios.

Burbank`s mayor, Antonio Villaraigosa, said the fire was started by two teenagers from Illinois, who admitted to the arson and were interrogated by the police. The two, aged 16 and 17, were visiting Los Angeles with their parents. They stayed at the building complex where the fire originated. He commented that "they`ve admitted that they started this fire," and that they were "old enough to know what they were doing." They are expected to be brought to justice this week.

For many hours the city skies, including those above the Hollywood sign, were filled with smoke, until the fire department was able to put an end to the fire. While the flames were still high, Scott Rowe, Vice-President of corporate communications for Warner Bros. Entertainment said the company was monitoring the situation. "The studio is fairly filled with smoke at the moment," he said. "It`s at our back door. I think a couple of our entrances have been closed at this point and we`re operating normally but that could change any minute." Russ Mitchell, a Los Angeles resident, expressed his concern saying: "If it burns, we would be losing an icon."

                                 

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