NFL game rocked after 'brutal' tailgate fire destroys cars
A group of Miami Dolphins fans had their team’s season-opening win soured when they returned to Hard Rock Stadium carpark to find their cars had been destroyed in a fire.
Fans inside the stadium noticed large plume of smoke could be seen coming from outside the venue during the second quarter of the clash with the New England Patriots.
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As the game proceeded less only a few hundred metres away, firefighters were called to respond with multiple vehicles set ablaze in the tailgating area of the parking lot.
While no injuries were reported, the aftermath of the incident presented a grim scene for the car owners whose vehicles had been burnt to a crisp while they were enjoying the match.
Uh oh! Smoke coming from the parking lot of the NE Corner of @HardRockStadium. Hopefully all is good at the Tailgate! #Dolphins #Miami #nfl @ONLYinDADE pic.twitter.com/JcQ3ZnXdRz
— Josh Moser (@TheMozKnowz) September 11, 2022
Fire right out side Hard Rock Stadium. Not sure what it is. pic.twitter.com/R6sM7eSwqy
— Big E (@ian693) September 11, 2022
Aftermath of the cars that caught fire at the Dolphins game pic.twitter.com/JvCA3DAMK0
— Mike Sperduto (@Hockeyman55) September 11, 2022
This is just brutal man damn!! pic.twitter.com/SY4uyFYAiq
— Miami Mando 🙌🏝🏈⚾️🏀🥊 (@LakersCanes305) September 11, 2022
Authorities were still investigating the cause of the fire but it is believed to have been accidental.
One Twitter used whose car was situated in the parking lot, claimed the fire was started by an unattended grill.
It is common for NFL fans to assemble together in stadium car parks for barbecues prior to a game kicking off.
The practice is known as tailgating.
“Some idiot at the Dolphins game left his grill on right in front of my car and caught all of these cars on fire,” the fan said.
“Mine doesn’t have any damage at all. Unreal.”
massive thank you to God for watching out for us today. 🙏🏼
some idiot at the Dolphins game left his grill on right in front of my car and caught all of these cars on fire.
mine doesn’t have any damage at all. unreal. pic.twitter.com/3UH5lVgtHT— 𝐋𝐄𝐒𝐋𝐄𝐘 (@lesUCF) September 11, 2022
A stadium spokesperson released a statement about the incident to Miami news station ABC Local 10.
“Around 1 pm, a vehicle fire began in a remote Hard Rock Stadium parking lot. Several vehicles were affected. Miami Dade Police Department and Miami Dade Fire Rescue were on the scene,” the statement read.
“The fire has been extinguished and is being investigated by Fire Rescue. No injuries have been reported and there is no current threat to the stadium.”
Dolphins dominate Patriots in opening NFL weekend
On the field, the Dolphins dominated the Patriots to secure a 20-7 victory.
Tua Tagovailoa threw for 270 yards, with eight completions to wide receiver Tyreek Hill, who finished with 94 yards receiving.
The result was the first head coaching win for the newly appointed Mike McDaniel.
Following the contest, Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill chose a unique set of words to praise the impact of his new head coach.
Here’s the quote (with video) from Tyreek Hill on Mike McDaniel going for it on 4th and 7: “McDaniel’s gonna need a wheel barrow for his nuts to carry them around.” pic.twitter.com/WcepqVugRn
— Clay Ferraro (@ClayWPLG) September 11, 2022
Tyreek Hill is liking Mike McDaniel’s aggressiveness 😂 pic.twitter.com/eGb3RQNzgR
— PFF (@PFF) September 11, 2022
“McDaniel’s gonna need a wheel barrow for his nuts to carry them around,” Hill said.
The Dolphins will look to keep the momentum going when they take on the Baltimore Ravens next week, while the Patriots will look to bounce back against Pittsburgh Steelers.
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