A shocking incident occurred as a fire broke out in the DJ booth on the stadium’s third tier during the 36th match of the 2024-25 Big Bash League (BBL) between Brisbane Heat and Hobart Hurricanes at the Gabba.
The incident occurred during the second innings of the match, shortly after four overs, while the Hobart Hurricanes were batting. Consequently, the game was briefly delayed. A man was spotted attempting to extinguish the flames using a fire extinguisher, putting in significant effort to control the situation. His actions helped contain the fire to some extent, ensuring the safety of those nearby before the fire was fully extinguished.
Despite his efforts, the fire couldn’t be contained with a single extinguisher, prompting the need for another one. Fans in the nearby stands were swiftly evacuated to ensure their safety. After extensive measures and persistent efforts by the ground staff, the fire was eventually brought under control, allowing the situation to stabilize. As the fireman worked to extinguish the blaze, the players were seen waiting patiently for the game to resume.
At the time, Hobart Hurricanes openers Caleb Jewell and Mitchell Owen were in great form, with the team racing to 47-0 in just four overs when the fire incident occurred. They were chasing a total of 202 runs set up by the Brisbane Heat in the first inning.
In the first inning, opener Usman Khawaja started the inning on a rampage, scoring 23 runs off just 9 balls. Cameos from Marnus Labuschagne (77 runs from 44 balls), Matt Renshaw (40 runs off 25 balls), and Tom Alsop (39 runs off 27 balls) powered the Brisbane Heat to a total of 201 runs for the loss of 6 wickets. Hurricanes bowler Nathan Ellis inspired a sense of comeback for the side by taking 3 wickets for 42 runs.
In the second inning, openers Caleb Jewell (76 runs off 49 balls) and Mitchell Owen (44 runs off 20 balls) started on a high scoring 47 runs in just the first 4 overs. Cameos from Nikhil Chaudhary (39 runs off 27 balls) and Matthew Wade (15 runs off 9 balls) helped the Hobart Hurricanes to clinch the victory on the last ball.
