A strong fire disrupted the afternoon at Epcot, one of Disney’s most visited theme parks located in Bay Lake, Florida, on Saturday. According to a statement from Walt Disney World Resort representatives, the flames were caused by a malfunction in a large-capacity refrigerator, which quickly generated a massive column of black smoke visible from nearly all parts of the park.
Videos captured by the thousands of tourists present at the scene show the fire originating in the “World Showcase” area, specifically in a service section of the France Pavilion, which features a replica of the Eiffel Tower and several restaurants offering French cuisine. The incident went viral as soon as the footage was shared on social media, causing concern among on-site visitors and online users alike.
In their statement, Disney officials confirmed that the flames were quickly contained and extinguished within minutes by firefighters from the Central Florida Tourism Supervision District, and no injuries were reported.
Park authorities did not provide further details on the origin of the fire or any potential damage to the facilities. The affected section of the park was temporarily closed to ensure safety but reopened to visitors near dusk.
Despite the fire, the overall operation of the park was not suspended, and guests were able to continue enjoying the rest of the attractions while smoke remained in the affected area.
