Several buildings at Texas Tech University in Lubbock were evacuated Wednesday night following an explosion in a manhole near a substation, which led to multiple fires and widespread power outages across the campus. Flames were seen emerging from underground in different areas, officials confirmed.
Emergency responders arrived at the scene shortly after 7 p.m. following reports of a gas leak near the campus. According to a Lubbock Fire official, they discovered flames shooting out of manholes. Video footage shared by local news station KCBD captured green flames erupting from one of the manholes at Texas Tech University campus in Lubbock.
“It’s too early to say exactly what we’re dealing with there,” Lubbock Fire Captain Jon Tunnell stated during a press conference when asked about the unusual color of the flames.
A university representative reportedly confirmed that an underground explosion occurred inside a manhole near Engineering Key, a central area of the campus. This incident led to evacuations in the vicinity. While no injuries have been reported, fire officials emphasized that as of 10 p.m. Wednesday, the situation remained “very active.”
The blast resulted in power outages across the campus and affected the Texas Tech Health and Science Center nearby. A university spokesperson stated that power has been shut off campus-wide to facilitate repairs. However, there was no immediate update on whether scheduled appointments at the health center would be impacted by the outage.
Student residence halls were not evacuated, but students were advised to stay away from campus if they weren’t already there and to leave in the morning if possible. Texas Tech students were set to begin Spring Break on Monday, but due to the incident, the university announced it would remain closed for the rest of the week.
Video: Green flames rise from a manhole at Texas Tech Campus in Lubbock
BREAKING: Green flames rise from a manhole at Texas Tech Campus in Lubbock. Lubbock Fire Rescue says it’s responding to “multiple fires” on campus and buildings have been evacuated in the area – KCBD
— Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) March 13, 2025
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