A fire erupted on the roof of the Raleigh Convention Centre on Monday night, triggered by a natural gas incident, but was successfully contained by firefighters within an hour. City officials confirmed that the blaze, which started around 9:30 pm, caused no injuries and did not spread to the building's interior.
Swift Response Limits Damage
According to city spokeswoman Julia Milstead, the flames were restricted to the rooftop area. Security personnel present inside evacuated quickly and safely. Approximately 50 firefighters rushed to the scene, with their scaling down operations beginning by 10:45 pm, though crews were expected to stay overnight.
Milstead emphasised that lights remained on inside the centre throughout the incident, and no nearby structures were impacted. However, videos circulating on social media captured dramatic scenes of flames shooting from the rooftop shortly after the fire began. Residents were advised to steer clear of the area as emergency work continued.
Upcoming Events in Question
While officials confirmed no internal damage, the impact on the roof and scheduled events remains uncertain. The convention centre's website lists the North Carolina Cybersecurity Summit for Wednesday and Thursday, followed by a holiday event on Friday. Raleigh Mayor Janet Cowell called the centre an "important civic asset" and stated that officials would convene at City Hall on Tuesday for updates.
"I hope we can repair damage and have it back functioning normally as soon as possible," Mayor Cowell said. WRAL meteorologist Kat Campbell noted that calm winds aided the firefighting efforts, but forecasted nearly an inch of rain for Tuesday, raising potential concerns about water leakage if the roof is compromised.
Investigation and Next Steps
The exact cause of the natural gas incident is under investigation. Officials have not yet detailed the extent of the roof damage or confirmed whether the upcoming events will proceed as planned. WRAL committed to providing further updates overnight and during its morning bulletin from 4:30 am.
The rapid containment prevented what could have been a major disaster for the downtown Raleigh landmark, with the community now awaiting news on repairs and rescheduling.
