Thick smoke has lingered on inside the Araneta Coliseum hours after firefighters put out a fire from a nearby construction site near the Big Dome in Cubao, Quezon City at close to noon on Wednesday.
This forced the Philippine Basketball Association to reset Game 6 of the Governors’ Cup best-of-seven finals at the Araneta Coliseum.
Commissioner Willie Marcial said the court has become unplayable because of the fumes. Game 6 between the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Gin Kings and the Meralco Bolts is now slated for Friday at 6 p.m. at the Mall of Asia Arena.
“It was fire out at the Coliseum. But the conditions are not playable. There is still thick smoke (at courtside),” said Marcial following an ocular inspection of the venue after the fire.
The small fire was quickly extinguished by firetrucks and personnel sent by the Quezon City Bureau of Fire Protection shortly after lunch time.
The haze from the fire also interrupted the ongoing grand finals of the PBA 3×3 Second Conference, as it reached courtside and the spectator stands of the Big Dome.
This prompted authorities to evacuate the area and later call off Game 6 of the finals following an ocular inspection by PBA, Araneta Coliseum and BFP officials.
The Gin Kings are holding on to a 3-2 lead in their best-of-series with the Bolts, who will instead try to send the contest into a do-or-die Game 7.
“They only have three wins. (If) we win this game, we tie the series so that’s what we’re focused on right now,” said Bolts’ coach Norman Black.
The Gin Kings lead the series at 3-2 following their 115-110 Easter Sunday triumph.