Caesars Superdome, the home of the New Orleans Saints, caught fire on Tuesday afternoon. At 12:40 CT, fire and smoke began emanating from the roof of the Superdome, according to numerous local media reports. The New Orleans Fire Department responded to the three-alarm fire at the Superdome shortly after images of the scene hit the internet.
According to NOLA.com, one person was taken to a nearby hospital for minor burns.
Doug Thornton, vice president of the company (ASM Global) managing the Superdome for Louisiana, said the fire arose from the “gutter tub” located on the roof’s base. Shortly after 1 p.m., he announced the NOFD had the smoke and flames under control.
The NOFD posted photos of its work at the smoke-filled Superdome shortly after the fire was put out.
Local officials said workers were power washing the roof — the part of the stadium that caught fire — this week to prepare it for painting. Fox 8 Live added that workers have also been in the process of switching the Superdome’s exterior logo from its old sponsor, Mercedes Benz, to its new one, Caesars.
This is not the only stadium issue the Saints have had to deal with thus far in 2021. The Saints (1-1) temporarily relocated to Texas after Hurricane Ida ravaged the state of Louisiana. The storm forced the Saints to play their season-opener against the Green Bay Packers in Jacksonville.
The Saints are hoping the stadium will be ready by Week 4, as they’re scheduled to host the New York Giants for their first true home game on Oct. 3.
