Burnt toast halts play, forces evacuation during WBBL clash

A fire alarm caused by burnt toast forced an evacuation of the Citipower Centre on Wendesday, temporarily halting play in the Rebel WBBL match between the Melbourne Renegades and Perth Scorchers.

The Scorchers had reached 1-50 after eight overs batting first when the alarm went off, forcing a delay as everyone inside the Cricket Victoria building – including scorers, commentators and even several Melbourne Stars players training in the indoor nets – were required to assemble outside while the Metropolitan Fire Brigade investigated.

It's understood burning toast from the players’ dressing rooms caused the alarm, forcing a delay in play for just under 10 minutes with no reduction in overs required.

Once the all clear had been announced, the crowd were treated to some apt tunes over the sound system – Pink’s Just Like Fire followed by Vance Joy’s Fire and the Flood – as the players headed back to the middle.

The Renegades confirmed there was no fire.

It’s not the first time a fire alarm has delayed play to a game of cricket; it’s not even the first time this month.

Earlier this month, play on the opening day of the Marsh Sheffield Shield match at the WACA Ground in Perth was suspended just before lunch after a small fire started behind the players’ pavilion.

An air conditioning unit at the back of the pavilion caused the small blaze, which was quickly brought under control.

Almost two years ago, a Shield match in Brisbane was delayed by around 30 minutes when NSW spinner Nathan Lyon inadvertently set off a fire alarm when he too burnt a piece of toast.

The alarm forced the evacuation of the Stuart Law Stand, which houses both teams, the scorers and the media.

That same stand at Allan Border Field was also evacuated earlier this month during the women’s One-Day International between Australia and Sri Lanka – for what was believed to be a misadventure in toasted sandwich making by Aussie allrounder Delissa Kimmince, although her name was later cleared – but play continued through the incident.

In early 2017, New Zealand's Test against South Africa was stopped for around 15 minutes when an emergency alarm at Dunedin's University Oval forced a full venue evacuation.

And in 2016, a fire alarm during a match in Townsville between Australia A and South Africa A also led to play being temporarily halted.