Photos Capture Mysterious Green Explosion At Texas Tech University

An explosion at Texas Tech University led to a campus-wide evacuation and class cancellations on Wednesday, March 12, after multiple fires and power outages swept through the Lubbock campus.

Photos circulating online showed eerie green flames bursting from a manhole cover at Texas Tech University, adding to the mystery of the event.

Texas Tech University officials later confirmed that the explosion originated from a manhole, prompting safety concerns and an emergency response.

"TechAlert! There is a power outage on the Texas Tech University campus in Lubbock affecting multiple areas,” the university announced at 7:30 p.m. local time. “Additionally, we are evacuating the Engineering Key due to a gas odor. Please follow evacuation instructions if you are in the area, and stay tuned for updates.”

By 9:34 p.m., the campus and Texas Tech Police Department released a follow-up statement confirming the explosion’s impact.

“An explosion at a manhole has affected multiple locations on the Texas Tech campus, causing widespread power outages to both Texas Tech University and Health Sciences Center,” the update read. “The Engineering Key has been evacuated. We ask that the public avoid campus. More information will be provided as it becomes available.”

Lubbock Fire Rescue also addressed the incident in a press release, stating that they responded to a potential gas leak around 7:00 p.m.

“Engine 4 arrived first on scene and found multiple manhole covers with active fire and smoke issuing from them,” the statement detailed. “Engine 4 quickly requested additional units to help mitigate the rapidly escalating scene, and a second alarm was called by Battalion 1 for manpower.”

“At this time, evacuations are isolated to certain areas on campus,” the statement concluded. “There is no need to evacuate the area if you are not on the campus.”

As the situation continued to unfold, Texas Tech University confirmed in an update at 10:12 p.m. that the campus would remain closed on Thursday, March 13, and Friday, March 14.

The university also announced that Spring Break, which was originally scheduled to begin Monday, would “begin immediately.”

“Students residing in on-campus residence halls are encouraged to delay departure until daylight Thursday morning,” the statement read.

With power still out across campus, university officials urged students and employees to avoid the Engineering Key area. Employees were also advised not to return to campus to collect their belongings until further notice.

Fortunately, authorities confirmed that no injuries were reported. Fire crews remained on-site to assist the university in handling the situation, while officials continued to investigate the cause of the explosion.

While authorities have yet to determine exactly what caused this situation, many users on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, took to the comments section of the viral video to share their opinions on the matter.

David M., an early retired OTR long-haul driver, suggested:

"Green flame a likely culprit is copper from electrical infrastructure or plumbing being heated and vaporized into the flame, especially if there’s an electrical fault igniting flammable gases like methane from sewage. Without more context, copper is the most common and straightforward explanation for a green flame in such settings."

Donald Mitchell, who has ties to Princeton University, said something similar, "I saw something about an electrical transformer fire. Might be green from vaporized copper."

Another social media user, who goes by Justin Case, echoed the copper theory:

"Green fire comes from metals like copper, barium, and boron burning and releasing energy at specific wavelengths in the visible spectrum. Copper, in particular, is responsible for most green fire. As chemical compounds containing copper heat up, they emit photons in the green part of the spectrum that our eyes perceive as emerald flames."

The cause of the explosion remains under investigation as emergency crews continue to monitor the area.