HBO’s The Penguin Comic-Con Installation Evacuated After Fire Breaks Out

Fans at San Diego Comic-Con were evacuated from HBO’s installation themed after The Penguin’s Iceberg Lounge due to a fire. While details are still scarce, Deadline is reporting that people inside the installation, which was set up in San Diego’s Bloom Nightclub, were asked to evacuate, and after exiting the building multiple fire trucks and police were waiting outside. Two ladders were also used, extending to the top of the building, which is the location of the bar. Videos from the scene show firetrucks blocking off the road and police trying to clear the way. We are thinking of everyone nearby and hope everyone has made it to safety.

The transformation of the Bloom Nightclub into the Iceberg Lounge was one part of a larger campaign for The Penguin at Comic-Con, as the show will also debut a new trailer tomorrow and has already received quite a bit of promotion heading into Comic-Con. The Lounge was one aspect, though fans could also go to several local establishments to get specialty cocktails and other swag. You can find the official description from HBO on the campaign below.

The Penguin at Comic-Con

“On Friday, July 26th and Saturday, July 27th, Max, in partnership with Giant Spoon, will transform the Bloom Nightclub into Gotham’s famed Iceberg Lounge. Upon arrival at “The Iceberg Lounge” Experience, guests will enter the “Iceberg Descent,” created in partnership with BUCK and VT Pro Design, an immersive experience filled with special effects, haptic technology, interactivity and exclusive content displayed on Samsung big screen TVs. This multi-sensorial, subterranean descent drops users into Gotham’s notorious Iceberg Lounge lobby to navigate through the wreckage left by The Riddler at the end of The Batman (2022) film to reach the party deeper within.

Fans will party with Oz’s crew by venturing through the dark corners of the club for a chance to be inducted into the Penguin’s inner circle… if they dare. This multi-room experience offers complimentary drinks, live DJ sets, exclusive giveaways including a Jefferson’s Bourbon tasting, and photo opportunities including Oz’s iconic purple Maserati – giving partygoers an unprecedented glimpse into Gotham’s criminal underworld. By exploring the main club, guests can discover a password that will give them access to the inner sanctum, 44 Below, the club within the club, diving deeper into the world of The Penguin.”

“We are incredibly excited to tap into the rich and passionate fanbase in San Diego this year by introducing them to our new series, The Penguin,” said Pia Barlow, Executive Vice President, Originals Marketing, HBO and Max. “With our in-world activations, fans will have the chance to engross themselves in the underground world of Oz Cobbs’s Gotham, picking up where we left off in Matt Reeves’ The Batman, as we look to generate excitement for the series premiering this September.”