Iconic L.A. venue the Magic Castle set to reopen following roof fire - BERITAJA

The result could person been very different aft a fire collapsed retired Tuesday astatine a well-known Hollywood venue, but the tract emerged comparatively unscathed, the proprietor said, chalking it up to “true Magic Castle magic!”

Randy Pitchford, owner of the Magic Castle, confirmed Wednesday that harm was minimal aft a tile occurrence flared up astatine the spot about 5 p.m. The almost 200-year-old Victorian-style building features pieces of historical art, artifacts, a depository and a room — each of which could person turned to ash, Pitchford said.

“It’s a wonderment and a occurrence — existent Magic Castle magic!” he wrote successful a connection connected X. “The apical level offices and attic are beautiful wrecked, but ALL of our important history [is] safe, sound, and undamaged!”

Pitchford confirmed that nary labor aliases guests were injured. Ben Roman, an worker astatine the Magic Castle, said location were about 200 group wrong the building erstwhile the occurrence began.

“Those of america successful the agency smelled fume and instantly sprung into action and called LAFD and successfully and calmly evacuated the building,” Roman said successful a post connected Instagram. “Everyone is safe.”

According to Roman, the occurrence began while contractors were renovating the roof, connected the 3rd floor. Pitchford said the occurrence originated successful the attic supra the kitchen, which had precocious been renovated astatine a costs of about $1 million.

“If the occurrence happened conscionable 1 period earlier, the guidance would’ve been slower (more occurrence damage) and the harm from the h2o would’ve been unquantifiable and intolerable to recover,” he said connected X.

The Los Angeles Fire Department could not corroborate the origin of the occurrence arsenic of Thursday.

“Once the incident is over, unless they are doing an arson investigation, we are not progressive pinch the adjacent steps,” a Fire Department spokesperson told The Times. “We do not person immoderate further accusation about what took spot that day.”

The occurrence was contained complete the people of 40 minutes pinch 68 firefighters astatine the scene, Lyndsey Lantz, a spokesperson for the department, said successful a statement.

As of Thursday, the Magic Castle passed inspection, according to Roman. The venue is scheduled to reopen Friday, he said.

The Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety did not instantly corroborate if the building had passed inspection.

The three-story building first opened to the nationalist successful 1963. It serves arsenic a clubhouse for the Academy of Magic Arts, a backstage statement for magicians and magic enthusiasts. It was primitively built successful the early 1900s earlier it was transformed into the Magic Castle, according to its website.