VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Firefighters responded to a large fire at The Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater in Virginia Beach on Friday morning.
According to the Virginia Beach Fire Department, officials first responded for reports of a fire on the 3500 block of Cellar Door Way at 1:37 a.m.
When engines arrived, they found heavy fire coming from the rear of the amphitheater. It took additional crews and several stretched hose lines, but the fire was marked under control at 2:30 a.m.
VBFD tells 13News Now that the fire began in the production area of the building and then spread to the stage area.
The big question for concertgoers is what this means for upcoming performances.
“Here in Virginia Beach, if you love music, you are here at the amphitheater seeing a concert in the summer," said Virginia Beach resident Ashley Neal.
Janet Jackson and Ludacris are the first performers scheduled to kick off the season on May 14. Neal said she grabbed tickets soon after they went on sale.
“I am an 80s kid, born in the 80s, raised in the 90s," Neal said. "So, Janet was everywhere, she was life back then. My friend and I, we had concert tickets to go so hopefully it still happens.”
Neal said she missed Jackson the last time she performed in Virginia Beach and hopes she doesn’t have to again.
"It is going to really be a bummer if they can’t get it fixed before concert season starts," Neal said.
Another ticketholder told 13News Now on social media her sister is flying in to visit her from Texas for the concert.
Deanna Patton is new to the area and hopes she gets a chance to check out the venue this summer.
“I hope they rebuild because I think venues like that are really important for the community," Patton said.
A spokesperson for the amphitheater didn’t address the concert schedule but said, "We are grateful to the Virginia Beach Fire Department for the swift action to contain the fire at the amphitheater.”
In October, Virginia Beach City Council members voted to put $1 million from the Tourism Investment Program Fund towards renovating the amphitheater ahead of summer concerts.
City spokeswoman Tiffany Russell said that included roof and HVAC systems replacements, parking lot light LED conversion and new generators, but didn’t know if those repairs had started yet.
One firefighter had minor injuries but is expected to be okay. No one else was hurt.
The cause of the fire is under investigation at this time.