Massachusetts’ MGM Springfield casino had to be evacuated due to a fire that started on Saturday, which was found to be linked to a restaurant within the casino. The fire, which was mostly contained in the duct work connected to the eatery, caused smoke to rise up to the upper floors of the building. The Springfield Fire Department was alerted about the fire at 5:39 p.m. and activated the sprinklers to help control the situation.
Guests and employees were evacuated from the building and had to remain outside for several hours. Initially, firefighters believed that only one floor was affected by the smoke, but later discovered that it had spread to several floors of the casino. The flames seemed to be confined to the ducts that ran from the kitchen in Chandler Steakhouse to the roof of the building.
Firefighters worked tirelessly to extinguish the sparks and flames coming from the ducts on the roof, and part of the roof also caught on fire. After bringing the fire under control, they spent hours removing the smoke from the rest of the building. Eventually, workers and visitors were allowed to return to most of the casino.
Chandler Steakhouse, the restaurant where the fire originated, will be closed to the public until 5 p.m. on Wednesday. Fortunately, there were no reports of injuries resulting from the fire, involving neither firefighters, staff, nor visitors. The extent of the damage caused by the fire and the time needed to repair the structure were not immediately disclosed by fire officials.
The Springfield Fire Department’s Arson and Bomb Squad continued to investigate the cause of the fire the following day. In response to earlier rumors about a potential sale, Bloomberg News reported that MGM Resorts was considering selling the MGM Springfield, which opened around six years ago. The casino boasts 1,500 slot machines, a poker room, and a variety of table games for visitors to enjoy.
While the incident was a cause for concern, the quick response from the fire department and the successful evacuation of guests and employees helped prevent any injuries. The ongoing investigation into the cause of the fire will shed light on what led to this unfortunate event at the MGM Springfield casino.
