Crews on the scene of Tuesday’s fire at Memorial Stadium in Champaign.
The scene at Tuesday's fire at Memorial Stadium in Champaign.
Crews on the scene of Tuesday's fire at Memorial Stadium in Champaign.
Fire crews work at the scene of Tuesday’s fire at Memorial Stadium in Champaign. It appears the structure was not damaged.
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CHAMPAIGN — Groundskeeping equipment that caught fire inside Memorial Stadium triggered an alarm just before 8 p.m. Tuesday.
Champaign Fire Department spokesperson Randy Smith said firefighters saw “heavy swirling” smoke coming from the south end of the stadium when they arrived.
Crews on the scene of Tuesday's fire at Memorial Stadium in Champaign.
“They had a difficult time finding the fire because there was just so much smoke,” Smith said.
Very soon after arriving, firefighters found a utility vehicle and a riding mower ablaze beneath the horseshoe in the southwest corner of the 100-year-old structure.
Crews on the scene of Tuesday's fire at Memorial Stadium in Champaign.
“They called for a second alarm due to the size of the building,” said Smith, meaning that Urbana firefighters joined several units from Champaign.
Once located, firefighters had the flames doused fairly quickly, Smith said, but remained there to do overhaul and investigate what might have sparked the fire.
Because power to that portion of the lower level of the stadium had to be turned off, Smith said it was difficult to assess the amount of damage.
Fire trucks line up outside Memorial Stadium on Tuesday night.
“It doesn’t appear to have gotten into the structure,” he said of the fire. “There was a four-wheeler (with a cab), a riding mower and other groundskeeping equipment behind a fence in a secured area" that was damaged.
The fire happened three days before Illinois hosts Nebraska in a Friday night Big Ten game.
In a statement late Tuesday, UI athletics officials said they’d evaluate the stadium Wednesday, but “early indications are positive that the stadium will be prepared to host the game, as scheduled and without interruption of seating or services.”
Smith said he was unaware if there were any employees in the stadium when the fire started. An automatic alarm is what alerted firefighters.
The heavy turnout of fire equipment closed down Florida Avenue between First and Fourth streets for a couple of hours.
Fire trucks line up outside Memorial Stadium on Tuesday night.