Rams-Steelers game delayed after field turf catches fire during pregame
— -- ST. LOUIS -- Sunday's game between the St. Louis Rams and Pittsburgh Steelers was delayed almost 30 minutes because the turf near the south end zone caught fire during pregame introductions.
The Rams were introducing their starting offense about 10 minutes before the game when a flame from the machine that is supposed to spit fire directly in the air caught the turf. Edward Jones Dome employees quickly ran on to the field to extinguish the fire, but the residue left a mess about 10 feet wide.
Stadium employees started by trying to sweep the residue off the field, but when that didn't work, a vacuum was brought out.
Soon after, referee John Hussey announced that they were "in the process of getting the field cleaned" and that it would be "less than 10 minutes."
But that was an optimistic view, as both teams soon went to the locker room as the cleanup continued. The staff then brought out a mop and water to clean it up, including a yellow "Caution: Wet floor" sign.
The Rams and Steelers returned to the field at 1:20 p.m. ET with kickoff taking place 8 minutes later.
The FieldTurf surface at the Edward Jones Dome is cushioned with rubber pellets, some of which apparently melted before the fire was extinguished.
Rams medical staff offered input on the cleanup, presumably warning of the potential health concerns of the residue from the fire extinguisher and the burned surface.
