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06-28-2004, 06:35 PM
http://www.zap2it.com/movies/news/story/0,1259,---22024,00.html
Paris Hilton's 'House of Wax' Set Destroyed in Fire
June 28, 2004
LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) - In an unfortunate and bizarre coincidence, the set of the Paris Hilton horror remake "House of Wax," burned down on Saturday night (June 26) in Australia while filming a burning scene.
The film set at Gold Coast's Warner Roadshow studios was set ablaze by a gas burner, according to Australian news reports. Over 70 cast and crew members were inside when the building exploded into flames, but were able to escape unharmed. Fiona Searson, the film's spokesperson, would not reveal the names of the evacuated actors. Hilton was not present, having left Queensland after finishing shooting her part in the film.
The accident occurred when the special effects team was creating the final scene of the film, in which a building full of life-sized wax figures melts in a fire.
"They were apparently filming the final burning of the House of Wax," says fire investigator Gordon Hemphrey, "but the wax ran over a vat and made contact with the burners. They had all the precautions in place, including safety pits filled with water under the stage to catch the hot wax but something went wrong."
The highly flammable set included timber and polystyrene pieces and gas cylinders. Three sets and various camera and sound equipment were lost. The damage is estimated at $10 million and will delay the filming for several days.
"Wax" is a remake of the 1953 classic Vincent Price film, which centered on a mad professor (Price) who cuts down on the cost of rebuilding his wax museum after a fire by using real humans covered with wax.
The update pits a group of teens (Hilton, Elisha Cuthbert, Chad Michael Murray, Jared Padalecki and Jon Abrahams) against twisted murderers who encase their victims in wax. The teens become stranded in a small town and can only turn to a creepy gas station owner for help.
The Jaume Serra-directed movie is scheduled for an October release.
Paris Hilton's 'House of Wax' Set Destroyed in Fire
June 28, 2004
LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) - In an unfortunate and bizarre coincidence, the set of the Paris Hilton horror remake "House of Wax," burned down on Saturday night (June 26) in Australia while filming a burning scene.
The film set at Gold Coast's Warner Roadshow studios was set ablaze by a gas burner, according to Australian news reports. Over 70 cast and crew members were inside when the building exploded into flames, but were able to escape unharmed. Fiona Searson, the film's spokesperson, would not reveal the names of the evacuated actors. Hilton was not present, having left Queensland after finishing shooting her part in the film.
The accident occurred when the special effects team was creating the final scene of the film, in which a building full of life-sized wax figures melts in a fire.
"They were apparently filming the final burning of the House of Wax," says fire investigator Gordon Hemphrey, "but the wax ran over a vat and made contact with the burners. They had all the precautions in place, including safety pits filled with water under the stage to catch the hot wax but something went wrong."
The highly flammable set included timber and polystyrene pieces and gas cylinders. Three sets and various camera and sound equipment were lost. The damage is estimated at $10 million and will delay the filming for several days.
"Wax" is a remake of the 1953 classic Vincent Price film, which centered on a mad professor (Price) who cuts down on the cost of rebuilding his wax museum after a fire by using real humans covered with wax.
The update pits a group of teens (Hilton, Elisha Cuthbert, Chad Michael Murray, Jared Padalecki and Jon Abrahams) against twisted murderers who encase their victims in wax. The teens become stranded in a small town and can only turn to a creepy gas station owner for help.
The Jaume Serra-directed movie is scheduled for an October release.