The Toronto Raptors played host to the Indiana Pacers as Scotiabank Arena on Saturday night in a game with huge Eastern Conference playoff ramifications. While the Pacers are playing for ping pong balls during the lottery, the Raptors are on the verge of overtaking the Cleveland Cavaliers for the 6-seed, meaning their path to the postseason would not require participating in the play-in tournament.
Things were going quite well for Toronto in that endeavor, as they had a 66-38 lead over Indiana a little more than halfway through the second quarter, when all of a sudden, the game needed to be stopped and the authorities needed to be called in due to a fire in the stadium. More specifically, there was an electrical fire involving one of the speakers, so everyone had to be cleared out so it could be properly tended to.
The Pacers-Raptors game in Toronto was suspended and the arena was evacuated due to smoke.
The fire chief declared no threat to public safety. pic.twitter.com/sci7Nyi3LB
— ESPN (@espn) March 27, 2022
The fire chief has requested Scotiabank Arena be evacuated. “There is no threat to public safety.”
The game has been suspended.
— Blake Murphy (@BlakeMurphyODC) March 27, 2022
The crowd is being evacuated in part because it’s location may require firefighters to approach it from underneath, and because there is a fall risk. Per the broadcast.
— Blake Murphy (@BlakeMurphyODC) March 27, 2022
Ultimately, the whole thing got sorted out, but the decision was made that the game would resume without any fans in attendance.
Bobby Webster just told me they’re waiting on one more clearance-they’ll clean up the floor and players will warm up.
Game will be without fans.
Can’t confirm right now what will happen to the tickets that were paid for but is obviously sympathetic to the situation. #Raptors
— nikki reyes (@Nikki_Reyes) March 27, 2022
Game will resume without fans once the floor has been cleaned up. Will warm up before resuming.
Am told fans will be reimbursed for tickets. Details TBD.
— Blake Murphy (@BlakeMurphyODC) March 27, 2022
At the time of the stoppage, Precious Achiuwa led the Raptors with 16 points in 12 minutes off of the bench, while Pascal Siakam provided 15 points, four assists, three rebounds, and two steals. Meanwhile in Cleveland, the Cavaliers entered the halftime break against the Chicago Bulls trailing 53-35.