FemaleFirst reported that the actress who was wearing a inflammable red dress full of feathers tried to help put out the fire. She was advised to distance herself for her own safety.
Photographer Robert Ascroft told Parade magazine, "During the first setup at the shoot, the make-up artist started screaming, ‘Fire!’ We all looked over and a huge umbrella was on fire and pieces of it were falling onto the ground. We had just moved the fire extinguisher from the back of the previous shot we set up, so we knew exactly where it was located. Charlize, wearing a big red dress with feathers, began moving towards the fire as if she was going to help put it out, but I insisted she stay back."
The photo assistants put out the fire and no one was injured.