The Mizzou men’s basketball team was on fire Wednesday night as they took down No. 4, University of Alabama. But, the sparks didn’t stop flying when the game ended. Shortly after the action a fire ignited in the arena, prompting alarms, sprinklers and evacuations from the press conference.
According to Sports Illustrated, “The fire was started in a suite and was quickly extinguished by the suppression system and staff.”
Videos shared on ‘X’ show smoke wafting through the empty arena. Most fans had already left the building, and when the Columbia Fire Department arrived, they reported no injuries from the incident. The University Police also responded to the fire alarms in the arena.
The fire alarm sounded in the middle of Alabama head coach Nate Oat’s interview with the media. According to the Columbia Daily Tribune, Oats had a sense of humor about the interruption. “Yeah,” Oats said. “They were on fire tonight.”
The Columbia Fire Department ruled the fire accidental and told ABC 17 it “was caused by ‘canned heat’ that was ‘too close to combustibles.’” Canned heat is a substance made of denatured alcohol, often used to keep food dishes warm.
The Mizzou women’s basketball team will play its game as scheduled in Mizzou Arena, as no damage from the fire was severe enough to cause rescheduling.
