Fire at new Rangers stadium quickly extinguished

[December 17, 2019]    A fire that started Saturday afternoon inside Globe Life Field, the new Texas Rangers ballpark set to open in 2020, was out within a half-hour, according to the fire department in Arlington, Texas.

No injuries were reported and the fire is still being investigated, so no cause has been determined, according to Arlington Deputy Fire Chief Jonathan Ingols.

The fire began around 2:30 p.m. CT, according to the Dallas Morning News, and was extinguished a little after 3 p.m. Arlington fire officials said it started under the ballpark's retractable roof.

Smoke bellows from the roof of Globe Life Field, the Texas Ranger's new ballpark which is currently under construction, after a fire broke out, as seen from a distance, in Arlington, Texas, U.S., December 14, 2019, in this still image from video obtained via social media. HENRY STARNES @hcstarnes1 via REUTERS

Construction workers reportedly watched as plumes of smoke rose into the sky. Firefighters, who previously had received training for a fire at the new ballpark, quickly arrived.

"It's a long, hard climb up there with all their gear, but thanks to partnership with the Rangers and Manhattan Construction, we had practiced this," Ingols said via the Dallas Morning News.

The $1.2 billion Globe Life Field, which was expected to be ready by March 1, is scheduled to open when the Rangers play two games late in the exhibition season. The first is with the St. Louis Cardinals on March 23.

Texas' regular-season opener is set for March 31 against the Los Angeles Angels.

What work delays will be caused by the fire have yet to be determined, according to Greg McClure, senior vice president of Manhattan Construction.

--Field Level Media

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