Fire sends smoke billows from WCup stadium

Fire sends smoke billows from WCup stadium

Published Oct. 25, 2013 5:57 p.m. ET

Smoke billowed from a World Cup stadium under construction in Brazil when plastic foam used for insulation caught fire on Friday.

The fire at the Arena Pantanal, one of 12 stadiums for next year's World Cup, created clouds of black smoke drifting over the top of the football venue.

No injuries were reported and officials said the fire was quickly contained.

In a statement, officials said the fire was concentrated in an underground part of the venue, but reached an area where polystyrene foam was being stored. The material was to be used for insulation on the stadium's roof.

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The 44,000-seat stadium has been a headache for World Cup organizers, with concerns that stadium seats will not be installed by a Dec. 31 deadline set by FIFA.

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