- The beginning of the Interior Athletics Championships of the United Kingdom was delayed in 90 minutes
- Emergency services were called to the sand use of Birmingham due to a fire
The use of Birmingham's sand had to be evacuated on Saturday morning, since the beginning of the United Kingdom's interior championships was delayed by a fire.
Emergency services responded quickly after reports arose in the place, generating concerns between athletes, officials and fans.
Preliminary investigations suggested that the incident may have been triggered by a cooking pot that caught fire in a nearby floor.
As a consequence, the beginning of the two -day event was retreated for an hour, and the competition finally began at 12.55 pm, about 90 minutes late.
An initial statement of British Athletics said: 'The beginning of the Indoor of Athletics UK 2025 Athletics Championship has been delayed for one hour, after an incident that required the evacuation of the use of the use of Arena in Birmingham this morning, Saturday, February 22.
'A one -hour delay has been agreed to the schedule so that athletes, officials and spectators are adequate to prepare for the events of the day. Now the schedule of Saturday events will begin at 12:25.
The Fire Brigade was called Arena in Birmingham on Saturday morning
The beginning of the Interior Athletics Championships of the United Kingdom 2025 had to be delayed in 90 minutes
'The spectators will experience a delay in the opening of the sand and should be maintained in the United Kingdom athletics channels to obtain more information. There is currently no expected delay on Sunday schedule. More information will be published in the United Kingdom athletics channels in due time.
A second statement later added: “While the re -entry to the place has begun, it was agreed to delay the start of the competition until 12.55 with a 1.5 -hour delay to the published schedule.”
The former Olympic sprinter Katharine Merry headed towards the place when the evacuation began.
Merry, who won a Britain a bronze medal in the 400m female in the 2000 Games in Sydney, tweeted in X: 'He did not reach the sand of the use yet. It has been completely evacuated due to a fire. Fire brigade here and smoke that comes from the upper floor.