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Texas Tech campus shuts after fires, outages spur evacuation

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feeds.texastribune.org – By Ayden Runnels – 2025-03-12 23:11:00

Texas Tech University closes Lubbock campus after fires, power outages cause evacuations

Texas Tech University closes Lubbock campus after fires, power outages cause evacuations” was first published by The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them — about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.

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Several buildings at Texas Tech University in Lubbock were evacuated Wednesday night after officials said an explosion in a manhole near a substation caused multiple fires that could be seen emerging from underground across parts of the campus and widespread power outages in the area.

Emergency officials, who were called about reports of a gas leak just after 7 p.m. near campus, found flames shooting out of manholes, a Lubbock Fire official said during a press conference. Video from the Texas Tech campus posted by local news station KCBD shows green flames spewing from one manhole.

“It’s too early to say exactly what we’re dealing with there,” Lubbock Fire Captain Jon Tunnell said during the press conference when asked about the cause for the fire’s discoloration.

A university spokesperson also confirmed there was an underground explosion inside one manhole on campus near Engineering Key, a central portion of the campus, which prompted evacuations in that area. No injuries have been reported, but a fire official just past 10 p.m. Wednesday said the campus was still a “very active” scene.

The explosion caused outages across campus and at the nearby Texas Tech Health and Science Center. A spokesperson said power has been shut down to the entire campus as repairs begin. Officials had no information on whether appointments at the health center, which is also experiencing power outages, would be affected.

Student halls have not been evacuated, however students were encouraged to avoid campus if they were not already present and leave in the morning if they are able to do so. Spring Break for Texas Tech students was set to start Monday, however the university announced it will be closed for the remainder of the week.

Disclosure: Texas Tech University has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune’s journalism. Find a complete list of them here.


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This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/12/texas-tech-university-lubbock-explosion-closure/.

The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org.

The post Texas Tech campus shuts after fires, outages spur evacuation appeared first on feeds.texastribune.org

News from the South - Texas News Feed

La Niña now expected to last all winter

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www.kxan.com – Nick Bannin – 2025-09-13 07:00:00

SUMMARY: For the first time this year, La Niña is now forecast to last throughout the entire winter, with NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center giving it a 54% chance for December-February. Previously, ENSO Neutral was favored for winter. La Niña occurs when sea surface temperatures in the eastern equatorial Pacific are 0.5ºC below average, typically pushing the Pacific Jet Stream north, causing drier, warmer conditions in the southern U.S. and wetter areas in the Pacific Northwest. Last winter, a weak La Niña brought a record warm December but cooler January-February, below-average rainfall, snow in Austin, and more freezes than normal. Another mild La Niña winter is expected for Central Texas.

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News from the South - Texas News Feed

Texas high school football scores for Friday, Sept. 12

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www.kxan.com – Billy Gates – 2025-09-12 22:59:00

SUMMARY: Lake Travis dominated Midland Legacy 59-13 in a spirited farewell to the old Cavalier Stadium before renovations force home games to move to Dripping Springs High School. Across Central Texas, notable district wins included Anderson over College Station (37-14), Bowie against Glenn (38-14), and Dripping Springs edging Harker Heights (31-26). High-scoring games saw McNeil top Westwood 70-45, and Hutto defeat Cedar Ridge 63-49. Close contests included Vista Ridge’s 30-29 win over Round Rock and Austin LBJ’s 34-33 overtime victory against Wimberley. The article also features an extensive list of scores from other Texas high school football games.

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News from the South - Texas News Feed

Safe Central Texas meet-up spots for online purchases 

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www.kxan.com – Tanya Nguyen – 2025-09-12 07:30:00

SUMMARY: The Lockhart Police Department created its first Community MeetUp Spot for safe internet purchase exchanges after a man stole shoes during a transaction. Located in the police station parking lot at 214 Bufkin Lane, it offers a secure, monitored area encouraging buyer and seller safety. Positive community feedback inspired the initiative. Several Central Texas police departments—including Georgetown, Cedar Park, Round Rock, Pflugerville, Manor, Austin, and Kyle—also provide designated or informal safe exchange spots. The Austin Police emphasize researching buyers/sellers, trusting instincts, and following safety tips such as taking photos, noting license plates, meeting in public areas, and keeping personal info private.

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