Residents react to Admiral Twin burning to the ground

TULSA - It took only minutes to burn down the screen that's over 60 years old. Gary Filby was a projectionist here.

"This is 15, 20 years of my life out here that I spent and to see this in shambles is really disheartening and sad, " he says.

Strong winds fueled the fire and shot smoke and embers across I-244. The highway was shut down for a while westbound from memorial as grass fires sparked along the road. It took firefighters about 45 minutes to put the blaze out. Blake Smith is the owner.

"It broke my heart, it's still breaking my heart and it's hard to look because that tower was such an icon of Tulsa, he says. It goes with so many other great things with this city and even if we rebuild it, it will never look the same."

This drive-in theater was one of the longest running in the country, mostly known for a scene in the classic movie The Outsiders. That movie was supposed to play next weekend for the close of the season. There is now the possibility it may never open again.

"It's a huge part of our childhood, I know when I have children I'd like to bring them here but I don't know if it's going to be possible now," says one onlooker.

A wooden shell was the only thing left standing, which had to be torn down---and with that, go the memories of so many who felt the movie magic at this theater.

Owners tell us they have no fire insurance on the screen and don't know if they'll be able to rebuild. Firefighters say they aren't sure what caused the blaze. They are still investigating.