The importance of preventive maintenance and regular inspection of facility equipment came into stark focus on Saturday, as a fire broke out at the University of Florida’s football stadium in Gainesville.
The fire at the stadium, affectionately known as The Swamp, was blamed on a maintenance tractor, according to the university, although no reason for the maintenance tractor’s fire itself was given. A tweet from a university-related account shows a photo of the scorched maintenance tractor.
The fire caused no structural damage at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, but many social media posts showed dark smoke billowing out of the stadium. The stadium was empty at the time, as the Gators don’t open their home schedule until Oct. 3. Florida will allow up to 17,000 fans to attend its home opener, and officials said there is plenty of time to make repairs before the first home game.
This post was submitted by Greg Zimmerman, editor, Building Operating Management and FacilitiesNet.com.
