Portugal Colonial - Broadway theater blaze forces 'Book of Mormon' to close

This religious satire about two young Mormon missionaries sent to a remote village in Uganda has been on Broadway for 15 years and been performed in London's West End and beyond.

The New York fire department's assistant chief, David Simms, told a media briefing at the scene of the fire that "the building is going to be out of service pending repairs." He said almost 200 firefighters and EMS staff rushed to the site.

It was not immediately clear how long the closure will last, or if the show will be moved to another theater.

"There's been substantial damage on the fourth floor in the electrical room, which contains lighting equipment, and the hanging chandeliers," Simms added.

"This was a deep-seated fire, involving a lot of electrical equipment... It was very difficult to get to. There was a lot of catwalks and rigging in the theater."

Ambassador Theater Group, which owns the Eugene O'Neill, did not respond to a request for comment.

"The Book of Mormon" is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' sacred text, and the name Mormon has been used to identify the church since it was established in 1830, although initially outsiders said it as a derogatory term.

A.Seabra--PC