Disneyland's 'Fantasmic!' show interrupted as animatronic dragon bursts into flames
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Spectators were in for a shock when Disneyland’s popular ‘Fantasmic!’ show this weekend was all fire! The feature’s fire-breathing animatronic dragon suddenly burst into flames on Saturday night, April 22, at the Southern California theme park. The Anaheim Fire Department confirmed the incident, but the extent of damage has not yet been revealed.
“The head started going on fire instead of the fire projecting out,” said Ryan Laux, a frequent Disneyland visitor who told the Associated Press that fire is always used during the ‘Fantasmic!’ presentation. He could make out something unusual when flames didn’t appear from their regular openings. A resident of Los Angeles, Laux shared that the show was stopped as the dragon caught fire, “and then right after that, the dragon started catching fire and the whole body was up in flames.”
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'No casualties reported'
The ‘Fantasmic!’ show is usually scheduled twice a night near the park’s famous Tom Sawyer Island. The show ends with Mickey Mouse battling a giant dragon named Maleficent, who apparently disappeared from the stage immediately after the dragon’s head was eaten out by flames. No injuries were reported following the fire incident, as per 1News.
Another suicide at Disneyland!
In an unrelated incident, a hairstylist from Arizona killed herself after jumping off a seven-story parking garage at Disneyland. Marney Schoenfeld was the fifth person to reportedly commit suicide in 13 years at Disneyland, Los Angeles. Her body was discovered at the theme park's Mickey & Friends Garage Base Area on Saturday, February 18. Schoenfeld's husband, Randy, told the Sun, "She was a loving mother to her daughter, Sydney. She was a caring wife to me. She was a talented hairstylist for 23 years, and her clients loved her." The investigation into Schoenfeld's death is still ongoing, according to Anaheim police Sgt Jonathan McClintock's statement.
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).