LUBBOCK, Texas — An explosion inside a upkeep gap on the Texas Tech University campus in Lubbock set off fires and energy outages, main college officers to situation evacuation orders for a number of buildings and cancel lessons for the remainder of the week, college police stated.
The explosion occurred Wednesday night on the Engineering Key part of campus, which was evacuated.
“I heard an explosion after which noticed a smoke ring, nearly like a cartoon or one thing,” doctoral diploma pupil Robert Gauthreaux III informed KCBD-TV. “It traveled about 200 ft within the air.”
Gauthreaux stated he went contained in the structure constructing, which misplaced energy. He stated he and others tried to assist somebody who was trapped inside an elevator.
Energy was being shut right down to all the campus whereas repairs have been underway, stated Caitlynn Jeffries, a spokesperson for the university’s police division. She requested that each one public and unofficial personnel keep away from campus.
“You possibly can go forward and go residence for spring break. We’re closing college down for the subsequent couple days,” Jeffries stated at a information media briefing.
Firefighters responded to campus at about 7 p.m. for a doable fuel leak, Lubbock Fireplace Rescue Capt. Jon Tunnell stated on the briefing. They discovered “a number of manhole covers with lively fireplace and smoke issuing from them,” he stated.
No accidents have been reported, Tunnell stated.
An alert from the university despatched to the campus neighborhood earlier than the information convention had described the explosion as occurring at a substation.
Movies circulating on social media and TV stations confirmed a heavy presence of firefighters on campus and fireplace and smoke popping out of no less than one upkeep gap cowl.
It wasn’t clear what may need precipitated the explosion.
There are greater than 40,000 college students at Texas Tech and the varsity sits on 1,800 acres (728 hectares) in West Texas.
