Butterdome closed until further notice due to fire

On May 26 the University Pavilion, also known as the Butterdome, was closed due to a fire. University of Alberta media relations said the Butterdome will be closed until further notice.

In an email to The Gateway, they said the fire was caused by “a malfunctioning piece of cleaning equipment.”

“The fire was quickly extinguished and there were no major injuries,” the statement said.

U of A media relations said there are ongoing concerns related to toxic substances as result of the fire. Cleaning and restoration “to ensure the health of occupants” will be undertaken while the building is closed.

An update issued online on May 29 said that affected classes would be rescheduled and/or relocated. Students will receive information from instructors or faculty about their classes.

Media relations was unable to confirm how many classes or students would be affected by the closure before publication.

Media relations told The Gateway that the Butterdome was supposed to host high school graduation ceremonies next week.

“The university is working together with the affected schools to support the transition to an alternate venue,” they said.

No other external events were expected to take place in the Butterdome next week.