Photos Show Aftermath Of Maleficent Dragon Fire At Disneyland

Over the weekend, Disneyland Guests watched in shock as they witnessed the Maleficent dragon animatronic go up in flames in the middle of the "Fantasmic!" performance.

Luckily, the Anaheim Fire Department confirmed that no one was injured as crew members worked quickly to extinguish the fire.

Now, newly surfaced photos show the fire's aftermath as the Maleficent dragon animatronic is burnt to a crisp.

Disney has since stated the incident, stating that the cause of the fire remains under investigation at this time and that they are "temporarily suspending fire effects similar to those used at Disneyland Park's Fantasmic! at select shows and entertainment experiences globally out of an abundance of caution following the Fantasmic! Prop fire at Disneyland Park".

Although the cause of the fire is still unknown, one thing is undoubtedly known- how badly burned the Maleficent dragon animatronic got.

One Twitter user shared a photo of the animatronic after the fire was put out, and it is obvious there is practically nothing left. "I'm heartbroken 😭," they wrote.

https://twitter.com/jaysquivel/status/1650167296781086720?s=20

On Saturday evening, Guests watched as the Maleficent dragon animatronic went up in flames, emitting smoke during the performance of "Fantasmic!". Viewers heard a large explosion as fire shot out of the dragon, prompting the crowd to gasp and yell. Disney staff was then heard informing the others to "clear the area."

Tom Sawyer Island and other surrounding areas were evacuated.

Another Twitter user shared a video of crews working on removing the fire's aftermath and wrote, "The Fantasmic Dragon is burnt to a crisp. Crews are already addressing the damage."

https://twitter.com/TPMvideos/status/1650172552789016576?s=20

This is not the first time a prop has malfunctioned and caught fire at Disney Parks. In 2018, the Maleficent Dragon parade float, part of the Festival of Fantasy Parade at Magic Kingdom, caught fire at Walt Disney World. Luckily, it was quickly extinguished, and nobody was injured.

After the incident occurred, Disney released a statement informing the public that after the dragon caught fire, "due to smoke and wind, attractions near the island were safely evacuated of any guests, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation at this time."

The company announced they would be "temporarily suspending fire effects similar to those used at Disneyland Park's Fantasmic! at select shows and entertainment experiences globally out of caution".

"Fantasmic!" is a nighttime show at Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California that brings Guests into Mickey's dream of him as the Sorcerer's Apprentice.

Future performances of "Fantasmic!" have been removed from the Disneyland schedule until at least May 26, but that is subject to change. The Walt Disney World version of the show, which takes place at Disney's Hollywood Studios, is still on the schedule, though it is unclear if the Maleficent dragon will emit its fire stunt at this time.