A Maleficent-themed float in the Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade at the Walt Disney World Resort’s Magic Kingdom park caught fire mid-parade Friday afternoon, ABC Action News reports.
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A Walt Disney World spokesperson confirmed no guests or cast members were injured. The affected area was quickly cleared and the fire extinguished without incident.
“The parade went past us and the mechanical dragon was all good until it burst into flames,” park guest MartinMJ22 wrote on Twitter. “Parade closed and the fire was promptly put out. The dragon was not looking the best after as you can see.”
It’s all kicking off at the Magic Kingdom! The parade went past us and the mechanical Dragon was all good until it burst into flames! Parade closed and the fire was promptly put out. The dragon was not looking the best after as you can see. pic.twitter.com/6DsWL1NK5M
— Martin MJ (@MartinMJ22) May 11, 2018
The guest attached a picture of the fiery aftermath, showing the toasted and still-smoking parade float.
The float, inspired by Walt Disney’s 1959 animated classic Sleeping Beauty, depicts green-skinned dark fairy Maleficent in her purple-and-black dragon form.
In operation since 2014, the 52-foot long, 25-foot tall Steampunk-inspired dragon famously breaths fire as it strolls through the streets of Magic Kingdom Park.
Park guest Jacob Easley shared video of the blaze on YouTube, which sees the dragon’s head aflame and receiving sprays from a fire extinguisher.
“We really wanted it to be a fire-breathing dragon, but how do we interpret it so it tells part of the film?” parade designer Richard Improta, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Creative Entertainment, said in a Disney Parks video from 2014.
The motorized dragon was crafted to give the appearance of being crafted from rose bushes and thorns, pivotal iconography from Sleeping Beauty. In the cherished animated film, Maleficent transforms into a towering and fierce dragon to combat Prince Phillip, who risks life and limb to rescue Princess Aurora.
Walt Disney Pictures is currently developing a Maleficent sequel, follow-up to the 2014 live-action fairy tale that starred Angelina Jolie as the titular tragic fairy. Ant-Man and the Wasp star Michelle Pfeiffer and Doctor Strange star Chiwetel Ejiofor are in talks to board the sequel.
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