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LOCAL : Fire Briefly Shuts Down Disney Computers at Burbank Office

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<i> From Times Staff and Wire Service Reports </i>

Heavy smoke from burning batteries caused the shutdown of computers at a Disney Studios building in Burbank this morning. No injuries were reported and several occupants were safely evacuated.

The fire was reported at 5:45 a.m. in a four-story Disney building housing production offices at 500 S. Buena Vista St. Firefighters saw heavy black smoke coming from a battery room in the basement and evacuated three people.

More than 30 firefighters extinguished the fire by 6 a.m. No damage estimate was available, officials said.

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Fire Capt. Steve Patterson said storage batteries that either shorted out or overheated sparked the blaze. Disney spokesman Tom Deegan said several batteries are stored in the basement as a power backup for the building.

Smoke from the fire triggered an alarm that prompted a brief shutdown of the studios’ computer system, he said. No data was lost.

A janitor and two computer operators were ordered to leave while firefighters contained the flames.

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