Have you seen these underground fires at Texas Tech? If not, you’re about to witness something seemingly straight out of a sci-fi film.
Some wild videos hit the internet yesterday showing weird green flames bursting through Texas Tech’s campus. One shows the manhole literally flapping due to the power of the flames, which is an insane sight given they generally weigh between 90 and 250 pounds…
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
Yes, that is a real, unedited video… While I’m happy to have it because it’s an incredible sight, I truly can’t believe the people standing in such close proximity to it. Gas explosions are no joke and with flames that green, even before officials provided any details, it’s pretty clear that it’s not a wood pile burning down there.
While that may have been the most viral clip, it certainly wasn’t the only one. Others showed separate locations where the underground fire burned, sending flames and dark purple smoke clouds billowing into the air:
There are a bunch of fires on Texas Tech campus. Apparently a gas leak in the underground tunnels! pic.twitter.com/DuJTVkj98A
— rishi kesh (@rishi_cash) March 13, 2025
Purple smoke coming from the fires there at Texas Tech. Green flames now this 👇🏻👇🏻 pic.twitter.com/n9GSUaLwmG
— Amiejokes2much💜💜💜 (@Amiejokes2much) March 13, 2025
According to the school, the fires were caused by an explosion at a substation. Power was cut to the campus and surrounding areas while evacuations occurred at the Engineering Key. Spring Break was originally scheduled to begin on Monday but the school called it early and sent students home, or to their residences, yesterday.
Due to ongoing electricity and gas outages, the Texas Tech University campus remains closed today (Thursday) and Friday, March 14.
Students living in residence halls may return to retrieve items prior to leaving for Spring Break. Students who had previously coordinated with…
— Texas Tech University (@TexasTech) March 13, 2025
So how exactly does the underground of a school catch on fire? It turns out Texas Tech has miles of walkable tunnels under their campus, 12 miles of them. They are filled with electric and gas lines, water pipes, and other infrastructure and it appears the explosion ignited some of the copper piping, resulting in the colored flames and smoke.
Oh.. Those aren’t electrical vault fires..
They have almost 12mi of walkable tunnels under Texas Tech just like we have here at NMSU.. containing electric, fiber, steam and chilled water lines.
That’s a campus-wide underground fire.. pic.twitter.com/3wOOsXoiZp
— Ric L (@LCNM_Patriot) March 13, 2025
Fortunately, it now seems like the situation is mostly under control but it did cause a planned event to be pushed back.
Brooks & Dunn Concert Rescheduled
Brooks & Dunn were scheduled to play at the United Supermarkets Arena last night but that obviously couldn’t go on given a gas fire is no joke and can expand quite quickly. They moved it to next week, but given that’s in the middle of Spring Break, it’s probable that a whole bunch of students who wanted to kick off a week of pounding beers at a concert won’t be going to a concert at all.
Brooks & Dunn’s performance at United Supermarkets Arena originally scheduled for tonight, March 13, has been rescheduled to Thursday, March 20, due to the events on the Texas Tech University campus in Lubbock on Wednesday, March 12.
All previously purchased tickets will be…
— Texas Tech University (@TexasTech) March 13, 2025
Safety first and you having that concert would have been way more problematic than moving it but I do feel bad for the kids who had this whole thing planned out to a T and had it canceled at the last minute due to a completely unpredictable event.
Fortunately, Brooks & Dunn have a ton more dates coming up on their 2025 Neon Moon Tour, including many in Texas, so it’s possible they’ll be able to go see them if they are at the beach or went home for Spring Break.
The weirdest things are happening these days…
March 14, 2025 – Austin, Texas – Moody Center
March 15, 2025 – Corpus Christi, Texas – American Bank Center
March 27, 2025 – Raleigh, North Carolina – PNC Arena
March 28th, 2025 – Charlotte, North Carolina – Spectrum Center
March 29, 2025 – Charlottesville, Virginia – John Paul Jones Arena
April 3, 2025 – Indianapolis, Indiana – Gainbridge Fieldhouse
April 4, 2025 – Peoria, Illinois – Peoria Civic Center Arena
April 5, 2025 – Rosemont, Illinois – Allstate Arena
April 24, 2025 – Des Moines, Iowa – Wells Fargo Arena
April 25, 2025 – St. Louis, Missouri – Enterprise Center
April 26, 2025 – Louisville, Kentucky – KFC Yum! Center