Cleanup efforts were continuing Wednesday at the Magic Castle in Hollywood, where roof work is believed to have sparked a fire at the renowned performance venue, but operators said the damage inside the building was contained to the attic and some offices on the upper floor.
Firefighters responded at about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday to the world-famous home of the Academy of Magical Arts, located at 7001 W. Franklin Ave., where flames were reported in the attic.
Los Angeles Fire Department spokeswoman Lyndsey Lantz said first-arriving crews operated in an offensive mode, coordinating roof ventilation, fire suppression and salvage operations on the third floor. A total of 68 firefighters knocked down the fire in 41 minutes and no injuries were reported, Lantz said.
In a statement posted online Wednesday by the Society of American Magicians, Simone Turkington, the president of the Academy of Magical Arts, said fire crews arrived at the scene before sprinkler systems were activated, “preventing an unthinkable amount of water damage throughout the building.”
“The former GM’s office on the third floor was destroyed, but fortunately, the office is directly above the recently remodeled kitchen,” Turkington said. “It was recently sealed and had new safety equipment and ventilation which triggered the alarm early.
“The new sealing contained all the water, which in turn preserved all the member and guest spaces. Had this happened a month earlier before the renovations, the situation would have been dire.”
Building owner Randy Pitchford wrote on X that the fire broke out in the attic — confirming the blaze was above the newly renovated kitchen.
“Confirmed that all guest and member areas are safe, secure and relatively undamaged,” Pitchford posted Thursday. “The top floor offices and attic are pretty wrecked, but ALL of our important history, rare artwork, paintings and posters, one-of-kind magical artifacts, our museum, and the irreplaceable William Larsen Sr Library of Magical Arts are safe, sound, and undamaged! The Magic Castle will recover and the team is using the opportunity to shore up some things and upgrade some things, so the place will be back better than ever as soon as practicable. It’s a wonder and a miracle — true Magic Castle magic!”
Rudy Coby, a magician who was scheduled to perform at the venue Tuesday, posted on Facebook that he was on the scene before fire crews arrived “and it was very scary.”
“But quick action by the (LAFD) prevented a disaster,” Coby wrote. “If the sprinkler system went off, it would have been months before it could reopen — but it was all contained to a small area and none of the treasures inside were damaged.”