The fans were ordered to leave the building with 4:05 remaining for the first half and the Raptors scored 66-38. An hour later, the players returned to the field to warm up 10 minutes before the end of the first half. The half time was to be reduced to seven and a half minutes. A Raptors spokesman described it as a “small electric fire” and the video shows a speaker overhead burning over Section 103 at the east end of the arena. The concern, according to the spokesman, was about the smell and the smoke. A firefighter with a leash hung from the roof of the arena with a fire extinguisher, ensuring that the annoying speaker fire was no longer a danger. The first sign that something was wrong was late in the first quarter when the fans in the upper bowl of the east stand noticed smoke. A section under the bowl was evacuated and then firefighters gathered in the empty section, looking up at the roof. A few minutes later, another lower part of the bowl was ordered to leave. Public speaker Herbie Kuhn was instructed to turn off his microphone for security reasons for several minutes. The system was heard to be tested several times late in the second quarter, but the main speakers above the stands did not appear to be working. Late in the second ten minutes, after the firefighters gathered with referees and teams on the field, the players headed to the locker room. Eventually, Kuhn announced the evacuation order for the Toronto Fire Department. Fans strongly condemned the announcement. The Raptors said tickets would be returned to the point of purchase within 30 days. The game is the key to Toronto playoff hopes. This Canadian Press report was first published on March 26, 2022.
