Construction at Texas University Causes Small Fire

Renovations to the Moody Coliseum on the campus of Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas, resulted in a small fire on Tuesday night. The Abilene Fire Department responded to the call at about 10:30 p.m. and extinguished the flames without incident.

The fire was located in an upper area of the structure that was under construction; university officials said that it was on rebar near the roof. Several firetrucks arrived at the scene. Firefighters were able to put out the fire before it caused any significant damage, and there were no injuries reported.

The department estimated the damage at about $5,000. University spokeswoman Wendy Kilmer said that the fire was related to ongoing construction, but its exact cause—as well as its effect on construction moving forward—is still under investigation.

Renovations to the Moody Coliseum began in December. Upgrades to the 50-year-old sports arena will include extra leg room, larger seats, an added hospitality room, and accessibility upgrades. In order to improve the comfort of event attendees, the arena’s capacity is being reduced from about 4,100 to about 3,600. The project is scheduled for completion in August 2022.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Porter Family Center

    Porter Family Center for Innovation and Academics

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. The Porter Family Center for Innovation and Academics has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Project of Distinction award in the category of New Construction.

  • Health & Science Building

    Health & Science Building

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. The College of Western Idaho's Health & Science Building has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Project of Distinction award in the category of New Construction.

  • Texas Recruitment

    Texas Recruitment

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. The University of Texas at Austin's Texas Recruitment has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Grand Prize award in the category of Renovation.

  • Agricultural Sciences Complex

    Agricultural Sciences Complex

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. The College of Western Idaho's Agricultural Sciences Complex has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Grand Prize award in the category of New Construction.