Manhole fires, explosions and power outages shut down Texas Tech University
Students at Texas Tech University were sent home early for spring break after a series of fires, explosions and power outages on campus, university officials said Wednesday.
An explosion at a substation caused power outages and prompted the evacuation of the university’s Engineering Key section Wednesday night, according to a copy of a university alert.
Roughly an hour after the original alert, an explosion at a manhole sent green flames shooting out of the ground, according to video posted to social media.
Classes were canceled for Thursday and Friday, and students living on campus were urged to delay departure until daylight Thursday morning, officials said Wednesday.
Lubbock Fire Rescue responded to the campus Wednesday evening and found “multiple manhole covers with active fire and smoke issuing from them,” according to a post on the department’s Facebook.
Fire crews remain on campus monitoring the conditions of underground utility vaults, officials with the department said Thursday.
The cause of the explosions was not immediately known Thursday evening.
Most campus facilities, including dining halls, the student health center, the library and on-campus museums, will remain closed, according to the office of the provost.
The university will assist students with housing until they can leave for break or over the break if they had planned to stay on campus, according to the provost’s office.
