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Universal Orlando roller coaster catches fire during demolition

The Universal Orlando Resort roller coaster caught fire Friday morning.

Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit is in the process of being demolished to make way for a new attraction at the theme park. The Orlando Fire Department told local channel FOX 35 Orlando that a small fire occurred in part of the ride hill.

The ride closed on August 18. Many iconic features, such as the ring, have already been removed, and Universal has yet to publicly announce what will replace the coaster.

Local media reported that the causes of the fire were not yet known and there were no casualties. The fire department did not immediately respond to a FOX Business inquiry.

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A general view of the Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit roller coaster after the Premier League Summer Series Legends 5v5 tournament at Universal Studios on July 24, 2023, in Orlando, Florida. (Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)

Universal Orlando Resort now has four parks after Universal Epic Universe opened in May.

Just last month, kevin rodriguez zavala, The 32-year-old died after riding Stardust Racers in the Celestial Park portion of the newest park.

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Attorney Benjamin Crump speaks at a press conference about the Stardust Racers roller coaster

Attorney Benjamin Crump shows a photo of the Stardust Racers Epic Universe roller coaster during a press conference with Kevin Zavala’s family in downtown Orlando, Florida, on Wednesday, September 24, 2025. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty Images/Getty Images)

The ride reopened last weekend. Attorney Ben Crump, who represents the Zavala family, called the planned reopening a “serious risk to public safety.”

“Reopening the ride before our experts can examine every component is pure falsification of evidence, is a serious risk to public safety, and puts profit over people’s lives. Universal has reportedly told employees that the ride is operating as intended. If accurate, the design itself is deadly. We are calling on Universal to pause the reopening, preserve all evidence, and allow Let our experts check it. If they refuse, we will take Universal’s harsh actions in court,” Crump said.

An Orange County Sheriff’s Office incident report says Zavala’s girlfriend, who was at park With him, he told law enforcement that Zavala, who uses a wheelchair, had suffered a spinal injury and was taking medication.

Rip Ride Rockit up the turn

Visitors ride the Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit roller coaster at Universal Studios theme park on the first day of reopening after the coronavirus pandemic, on June 5, 2020, in Orlando, Florida. (Greg Newton/AFP/Getty Images)

“Our comprehensive technical and operational review confirmed that the ride systems operated properly throughout the boarding process, the duration of the ride, and when the ride vehicle returned to the station, and our team members followed procedures at all times,” Universal Orlando president Karen Irwin said in a letter to Universal employees days before Stardust Racers reopened.

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Universal Orlando Resort is part of Universal Destinations & Experiences, a unit of Comcast NBCUniversal.

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2025-10-12 17:01:00

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