A small patch of the Caesars Superdome roof caught fire this afternoon, with visible flames and a column of black smoke rising into the sky.
Superdome officials say a pressure washer being used to help clean the roof caught fire. Superdome officials say a pressure washer being used to help clean the roof caught fire. The flames and smoke grabbed attention from passers-by who flooded social media with pictures and video.
"It's on the roof, where they put the name 'Caesars' at," one eyewitness caller told WWL First News.
"Looked like there was one guy on the roof, 'cuz I know they're working on washing it, they were trying to get a, it looked like a hose, over there, to get some water on it," another witness called in.
The fire broke out just above the Claiborne Ave. side of the stadium, some time after 12 pm. Shortly before 1 p.m., the smoke had mostly dissipated.
Doug Thornton, Executive Vice President of ASM Global, the company that manages the Superdome, told The Times-Picayune | New Orleans Advocate the fire began in a "gutter tub" along the roof's edge, and there was no major damage to the building.
Crews have been washing off the grime that has collected on the dome roof before the Saints play their first home game next month, a game delayed by Hurricane Ida. Workers have also been applying the logo for Caesars Entertainment, which became the naming rights sponsor of the Superdome after the deal with Mercedes-Benz expired this year.
Superdome Management released the following statement:
At approximately 12:30 this afternoon, a fire occurred within the exterior gutter system at the base of the Caesars Superdome roof. Initial assessments suggest that damage is superficial and there appears to be no structural damage or impact to the integrity of the roof’s exterior skin. The building’s outer skin and roof remain watertight.
While final assessments continue, the Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District (LSED), along with the Superdome’s management company, ASM Global, do not feel the fire will impact or force any cancellation of future events, including the October 3rd New Orleans Saints football game.
Some smoke did enter the interior of the Superdome but was quickly evacuated. There is no initial evidence of any interior smoke damage. Clean-up crews have been on-site since New Orleans firefighters extinguished the fire.
While the official cause of the fire remains under investigation, it is believed to have been started by a pressure washing machine in the gutter system of the Superdome’s roof. The fire was contained to the exterior gutter system surrounding Superdome, and only a small area of the roof suffered minimal damage. Pressure washing was underway to clean the roof before a planned re-coating of the entire roof itself. Any fire damage will be addressed during the re-coating process.
New Orleans Firefighters were able to extinguish fire shortly after their arrival. ASM Global staff arrived on scene within minutes of being notified to evacuate any contract roofing workers and begin fighting the fire.
EMS technicians treated one roofing contractor for minor injuries and there were no other injuries reported. Shortly after building officials discovered the fire, the Superdome was evacuated of all employees. Following the all-clear, approximately 45-minutes after the initial fire reports, Superdome employees resumed normal business activities.