PHOTOS: Smokestack catches fire at Great American Ball Park
The smoke billowing from Great American Ball Park on Friday night had nothing to do with Aroldis Chapman, for once.
Local firefighters were dispatched to the stadium after one of the pyrotechnic smokestacks in the outfield caught fire and began to spew tall pillars of smoke during the sixth inning of Friday's game between the San Francisco Giants and Cincinnati Reds. According to Andrew Baggarly of the Mercury News, the fire began after the tower's propane valve failed.
Giants on FIRE!! As is the ballpark. But help is on the way. pic.twitter.com/DdRgNt407i
— Ahmed Fareed (@AhmedFareedCSN) May 16, 2015
Smoke stack is on fire. People getting evacuated. #Reds pic.twitter.com/NOR0MsFggG
— Nate Bryant (@OleNateBBub) May 16, 2015
Checking out a Reds game tonight, well the smokestack caught on fire #dontseethateveryday pic.twitter.com/GQik7LkGIW
— Alan Hensell (@AlanHensell) May 16, 2015
Fans were evacuated from the area while firefighters put out the blaze - to a round of applause - though the fire didn't force the game to be paused at any point.
"I felt sorry for the guy who had to get up on the ladder," Giants manager Bruce Bochy quipped. "Man, that's not the job I want."
As for the fireworks? Tim O’Connell, vice president of ballpark operations, said that tower won't be active for the next little while.
“Unfortunately, we will be without that attraction for the next couple days,” vice president of ballpark operations Tim O’Connell said.