The vault contained thousands of prints of Fox's silent films, as well as negatives and other archival materials. Due to faulty electrical lighting, a fire broke out and swiftly spread, turning into a massive inferno that raged for several hours. The fire claimed numerous classic silent films as well as early "talkies."
Reports estimate that approximately 75% of Fox's silent film catalog at the time—around 45% of all silent films released by Fox Studios from the 1910s and 1920s—became either severely damaged or lost forever in the conflagration. It remains one of the most disastrous losses in film history.