Florida's Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, AKA 'The Swamp,' is on fire
As if 2020 couldn’t get any stranger, there is a developing situation in Gainesville that no one would have predicted.
According to eyewitness reports from outside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, The Swamp is literally on fire.
As you can see below, firefighters are on the scene as smoke pours out of the Gators’ stadium:
Ben Hill Griffin Stadium is on Fire. On Stadium Road. #gainesville #uf #florida #gators pic.twitter.com/zn34zVX3QU
— Doves Cry Too (@dovescrytoo) September 12, 2020
GFD seems to be entering the second level via fire ladder. pic.twitter.com/jKQDW4L1d0
— Doves Cry Too (@dovescrytoo) September 12, 2020
The smoke seems to be originating from the second level, as firefighters are using ladders to get up there to figure out what’s going on.
This is a developing situation. We’ll see if Florida issues a statement or if additional details are revealed over the next few hours.
UPDATE: The fire has reportedly been put out. Yahoo’s Pete Thamel says it was a golf cart that caught on fire and there is not believed to be any structural damage to the stadium:
Source: The fire at The Swamp, University of Florida’s venerable football stadium, has been put out. It was caused by a golf cart that caught on fire and is not believed to be structural.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) September 12, 2020
UPDATE TO THE UPDATE: Apparently, it was a dumpster fire on the third level of the stadium that caused the smoke. The fire has reportedly been contained and no one was injured:
UPDATE: GFR and University of Florida has confirmed: it was a dumpster fire on the 3rd level. No one was injured and the the fire has been contained.
— Claudia Bellofatto (@CBellofattoTV) September 12, 2020
The fire at Ben Hill Griffin stadium has been contained. It was started by a dumpster fire on the third level.
— Sara Cardona (@Sara_Cardonaa) September 12, 2020
