Wimbledon's Centre Court Evacuated After Fire


Electrical fault causes blaze

Around 3,000 people were evacuated from Centre Court at Wimbledon's AELTC because of a small fire during the tennis Championships.

The fire, discovered in an electrical plant room just before 9pm on Wednesday (July 1), was close to the side of the Wingfield Restaurant.

Security staff urgently moved remaining spectators out of Centre Court and away from the grounds. A Wimbledon spokesman said it was thought an electrical fault may have caused the fire.

London Fire Brigade said about 25% of the plant room was alight and Wimbledon security staff were allowed to leave at 10.30pm when it became apparent the problem had been contained.

The evacuation announcement briefly interrupted a Serena Williams press conference in the Millennium Building media centre, next to Centre Court. But play had finished for the day.

A further announcement followed, requesting anyone on the tea lawn between gates four and five to evacuate. Minutes later, everyone within the All England Club grounds was ordered to leave.

There had been an earlier incident on Court One but it was a drill, tournament officials said.

July 2, 2015