Wells Fargo Arena had to be evacuated Monday during a Class 3-A state tournament basketball game between Estherville Lincoln Central and Cherokee.
The game was at halftime when the fire alarm went off around 7 p.m. Everyone was safely evacuated from the building. Some players getting ready for the next game left the building wearing only socks, but the temperatures were in the 60’s.
The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union says there as a problem with a malfunctioning ventilation fan in a concession stand that created the smoke build up and caused the alarm to go off. The Des Moines Fire Department cleared the smoke and everyone was allowed back in the arena. The game resumed after the teams were given 15 minutes to warm up.