Great American Ball Park Smokestacks Catch Fire During Cincinnati Reds Game

In one of the most truly bizarre scenes you’ll ever see at a baseball game, one of the smokestacks located in right-center field of Great American Ball Park caught fire during Friday night’s game between the San Francisco Giants and Cincinnati Reds.

Sometime around the fifth inning, fireworks began going off in the middle of the game before black smoke began pouring out of the right smokestack. Fox Sports Ohio’s Thom Brennaman said during the television broadcast that the fireworks were shot off on purpose to get them out of the smokestacks before the fire set them off.

Fans sitting around the smokestacks were evacuated as the Cincinnati Fire Department worked to extinguish the fire.

Per Cincinnati Enquirer contributor Jeff Wallner, the fire was caused by a propane valve that failed and the smokestacks will not be used for a couple of days.

#Reds VP ballpark operations Tim O'Connell said a propane valve failed in the stack causing the fire.
— Jeff Wallner (@JeffWallner) May 16, 2015

"The actions of the attendant saved us from disaster. The precautions we have in place worked," O'Connell said. #reds
— Jeff Wallner (@JeffWallner) May 16, 2015

O'Connell added that the Power Stacks will not be in use for a couple of days pending repairs. #reds
— Jeff Wallner (@JeffWallner) May 16, 2015

Via Twitter, here are some pictures from fans and reporters who were in and around the park at the time of the fire:

Fire inside the smoke stack at Great American Ball Park during Reds game: http://t.co/nwi5aj6LsI pic.twitter.com/9QksDskObw
— Local 12/WKRC-TV (@Local12) May 16, 2015

Nothing to see here. Just a major-league ballpark on fire. pic.twitter.com/5Vv3wlu0Dy
— Andrew Baggarly (@extrabaggs) May 16, 2015

Well, this is a 1st. CPD moving everyone in 145/146 because the stacks misfired & are billowing black smoke pic.twitter.com/I5pLh4pgoA
— Josh Shortt (@radioclash77) May 16, 2015

And now we've been evacuated in 144. Here's the scene out back... pic.twitter.com/1miBQRh84A
— Josh Shortt (@radioclash77) May 16, 2015

Power stacks on fire at GABP. #reds pic.twitter.com/YkgdshaPRY
— James Patterson (@cincywxpro) May 16, 2015

Smoke fills the sky over GABP after a fire in the smokestack. @Reds @WCPO pic.twitter.com/4soa7zWhov
— Griffin Frank (@GriffinFrank) 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

This boat is on fire....@Reds #starwarsnight pic.twitter.com/x0PCjoakQI
— Rick Mullins (@XUChemProf) May 16, 2015

Fire truck ladder going up at GABP. #reds pic.twitter.com/W48kGb5NIY
— Jordan Kellogg (@jordankellogg) May 16, 2015

CFD still on scene @GABP @Reds game. Fire in smokestack is out, no confirmed injuries. Fans evacuated from 2 sections pic.twitter.com/aFqujBoORC
— Emily Underwood (@EmilyFirstGroup) May 16, 2015

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