Nearby fire creates smoky backdrop at Citi
Smoke is seen from a fire outside Citi Field during the game between the New York Mets and the Milwaukee Brewers. (Aug. 20, 2011) Credit: Jim McIsaac
Citi Field wasn't going up in flames during the middle innings of Saturday's Mets-Brewers game, but thanks to a nearby construction trailer fire, it sure looked like it.
It took 50 firefighters about five minutes to extinguish the fire, which sent towers of ominous-looking black smoke toward the scoreboard area of centerfield at around 6 p.m.
The smoke did not make its way into the stadium.
Four large firetrucks were dispatched to the area, as well as at least two ambulances and four other FDNY vehicles.
"It was just the trailer itself and some junk and rubbish that was around the outside," 52nd Battalion Chief Gene Marmann said. The smoke, he said, likely came from burning tires. No one was reported injured.
The incident caught the attention of many of the 28,234 fans in attendance, and that of a very curious Angel Pagan in centerfield.
"I saw it," he said. "I didn't know what happened. I saw something going on back there. I don't know what happened. Do you know what happened?"
