Students are evacuated from Mitchell Hall after the skateboard catches fire

On Wednesday, November 6, around 11 a.m., students at the University of New Mexico evacuated Mitchell Hall after an electric skateboard caught fire in the building.

It is unclear who owned the skateboard or how the fire started, according to Cinnamon Blair, UNM's chief marketing and communications officer. Classes will be held in Mitchell Hall no earlier than Thursday, Nov. 7, while officials ensure the area is safe, she said.

UNM will be closed November 7th due to weather.

The fire itself was small and firefighters quickly contained it, Blair said.

According to Blair, there was smoke in the building and students were evacuated about 10 minutes before a LoboAlert was sent out to the campus community.

Because of the type of battery that caught fire, the building needed to be cleaned and fumigated, Blair said. The building will undergo an air test on Nov. 7, and she said once it is safe, students can return to the building.

Students who have classes in Mitchell Hall will have their classes moved online or to another location while the safety of the area is reviewed, Blair said. Stay tuned for more information on November 7th.

Lauren Lifke is managing editor of the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at [email protected] or at X @lauren_lifke