Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa, was forced to evacuate Monday evening during halftime of the Class 3A quarterfinal between Estherville Lincoln Central and Cherokee in the Iowa girls state basketball tournament.
According to KCCI, spectators were forced to leave the arena around 7:30 p.m. while officials determined the reason for a fire alarm being activated in the building.
Fire truck has arrived to bus dock at Wells Fargo Arena. pic.twitter.com/TWbrwuqbhL
— Paul Yeager (@PaulYeager) March 4, 2025
“We have been asked to evacuate the building while the arena determines the cause of the alarm going off,” the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union X account posted. “We will continue to give updates here as we receive more information.”
Shortly thereafter, the IGHSAU released a post, saying that it had been determined that the alarm was triggered by a malfunctioning ventilation system in a concession stand and fans were allowed to return to the arena.
The total delay in the action amounted to roughly 11 minutes, and the final game of the night between Dubuque Wahlert and Spirit Lake tipped off at 8:30 p.m.
