Disney World dragon catches fire during parade, tourists g
The Festival of Fantasy parade at Disney World got a lot more heat than it wanted when a fire-breathing dragon burst into flames.
The dragon, representing the "Sleeping Beauty" character Maleficent, is supposed to periodically spew smoke and flames through its large nostrils as it lumbers down the park's parade route.
But last week, during the daily progression, the massive hydra spouted flames that just got bigger, until the monster's head was on fire.
Tourists did not flee the fire but instead raised their cellphones and began taking videos.
Footage of the blazing beast showed a piece of its head falling off and landing in the street. An employee quickly arrived with a fire extinguisher, but he was much shorter than the dragon, which continued to bob its long neck as parade music played, according to local reports.
No one was hurt and the fire was put out quickly, a park spokesperson said. The incident is under investigation.
An employee is stationed inside the animatronic behemoth, sitting near the base of its neck. Another cast member is at the rear, with costumed workers traveling outside on foot.
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