<div class="css-s99gbd StoryBodyCompanionColumn" data-testid="companionColumn-0"><div class="css-53u6y8"><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Texas Tech University has shut down its campus and sent students home early for spring break after a series of explosions and manhole fires, the university <a class="css-yywogo" href="https://www.ttu.edu/techalert/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="">said in an emergency alert</a>.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">An explosion at a substation near the school Wednesday evening caused power outages across campus, the university said. Conditions quickly devolved, with the university reporting a “gas odor” on campus. Videos on social media later showed green-colored flames leaping from manhole covers.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">University officials evacuated parts of the campus and forbade staff members from returning to their offices. Access to the university’s Engineering Key — the central area of campus where the gas odor was detected — was restricted.</p></div><aside aria-label="companion column" class="css-ew4tgv"></aside></div><div data-testid="ImageBlock-1"><div data-testid="imageblock-wrapper"><figure aria-label="media" class="img-sz-medium css-mqw7kw e1g7ppur0" role="group"><div class="css-1xdhyk6 erfvjey0" data-testid="photoviewer-children-figure"><span class="css-1ly73wi e1tej78p0">Image</span><div class="css-nwd8t8" data-testid="lazy-image"><div data-testid="lazyimage-container" style="height:257.77777777777777px"></div></div></div><figcaption class="css-gbc9ki ewdxa0s0" data-testid="photoviewer-children-caption"><span class="css-jevhma e13ogyst0">Flames were visible on campus on Wednesday. </span><span class="css-14fe1uy e1z0qqy90"><span class="css-1ly73wi e1tej78p0">Credit...</span><span><span aria-hidden="false">KSAT 12</span></span></span></figcaption></figure></div></div><div class="css-s99gbd StoryBodyCompanionColumn" data-testid="companionColumn-1"><div class="css-53u6y8"><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Videos posted on social media showed smoke billowing up from the street on campus and flames leaping out of manhole covers.</p></div><aside aria-label="companion column" class="css-ew4tgv"></aside></div><div data-testid="Dropzone-3"></div><div class="css-s99gbd StoryBodyCompanionColumn" data-testid="companionColumn-2"><div class="css-53u6y8"><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">The college, in Lubbock, Texas, was scheduled to begin its weeklong spring break hiatus on Monday, but it opted to send students home early.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">By late Wednesday, students were permitted to re-enter residence halls, but the university urged staff members not to return to their offices. Power remained out across campus, the university said.</p></div><aside aria-label="companion column" class="css-ew4tgv"></aside></div><div data-testid="RelatedLinksBlock-5"><div data-testid="lazy-loader"></div></div>