Fire immediately put out, officials call it a “minor incident”
While officials first indicated that an antenna battery exploded on May 28 on the west side of campus, what actually occurred was a small fire near Garrod Drive that ignited and immediately went out, according to UC Davis Spokesman Andy Fell.
Fell said there was no battery explosion nor chemical exposures, as had been initially reported in local news media outlets.
“There was no chemical exposure — that was a miscommunication,” Fell said.
Fell explained how the incident unfolded from maintenance to a flash fire.
“There is an antenna plant out in the west campus, and technicians were doing some maintenance work,” Fell said. “In the course of that, a flash fire ignited — maybe from a spark. It ignited, immediately went out, but left a person with some light scorching. Police responded and the technician got treated.”
One person was treated for minor injuries, but no other information about that individual was released.
“A person was treated at the scene,” Fell said. “It’s kind of like when you light a gas cooker and it does not come on all the way. It’s really a minor incident, to be honest.”
Written by: Stella Tran — city@theaggie.org
