LOS ANGELES, Jan 12: A brief fire broke out backstage at the 2026 Golden Globes on Sunday, sending smoke wafting through the press room just feet away from A-listers accepting awards on stage.

Journalist Chris Gardner shared video footage showing the chaos as a member of the catering team accidentally knocked over a lit sterno, a canned fuel used to heat food. “For a brief moment, the carpet was on fire and smoke wafted up around the curtains,” Gardner posted on X, formerly Twitter. “They put it out quickly, fortunately. Yikes!”

In the footage, officials can be seen frantically attempting to extinguish the flames while staff members pull a black curtain away from the affected area. The incident was contained swiftly, and no injuries were reported.

The fire occurred during the live broadcast of the awards show at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles, while host Nikki Glaser delivered the opening monologue on stage in front of stars including Leonardo DiCaprio, Emma Stone, Ariana Grande, and Timothée Chalamet.

The backstage blaze was described as a “crisis averted” by Gardner, highlighting the potential dangers of flammable materials in high-profile events.

Despite the brief scare, the Golden Globes ceremony continued uninterrupted, with the fire putting a dramatic but ultimately contained spotlight on the hazards behind the scenes of glitzy award shows.