Updated at 4:52 p.m.: Revised to add more details.
A fire broke out Saturday afternoon inside the new Rangers ballpark sending a pillar of black smoke into the sky above the still under construction stadium, scheduled to open next year.
The blaze was out within about a half-hour after it started, and no one was injured, according to the Arlington Fire Department.
Arlington firefighters are trying to get a handle on a fire at Globe Life Field this afternoon. This view is from the west side of the stadium under construction. @dallasnews pic.twitter.com/RKtcnja40K
— Tom Fox (@TomFoxPhoto) December 14, 2019
The fire began around 2:30 p.m. Saturday afternoon. It started about 100 feet off the ground under the retractable roof of the new ballpark, Arlington fire officials said.
Video recorded inside the stadium showed construction workers watching the flames from a distance as heavy smoke poured out. The blaze was extinguished shortly after 3 p.m.
No cause has been determined, and the fire remains under investigation, Arlington Deputy Fire Chief Jonathan Ingols said. Firefighters had trained for a fire at the new ballpark, he said, but battling the blaze was still tough.
“It’s a long, hard climb up there with all their gear," Ingols said, “but thanks to partnership with the Rangers and Manhattan Construction, we had practiced this."
From Snapchat: pic.twitter.com/Kox0VcT3Jf
— Jeff (@jamfan40) December 14, 2019
Greg McClure, senior vice president of Manhattan Construction, said no determination has been made if the fire will cause any delays to work on Globe Life Field.
The Rangers will coordinate a response to the fire with Manhattan Construction Co., said John Blake, the Rangers’ executive vice president of communications.
The retractable roof over the $1.2 billion ballpark was closed for the first time last week, a significant milestone in getting the ballpark ready for 2020.
The Rangers’ first appearance in their new home is scheduled for March 31 against the Los Angeles Angels.
