Arkansas meteorologist continues live tornado coverage as fire breaks out in studio

There are few better representations of the phrase "calm in the storm." 

During severe weather coverage, Arkansas meteorologist Noah Simmons had to manage a second crisis when a fire broke out inside the studio while tornado warnings were active for Fort Smith, as TODAY.com reported.

What happened?

Simmons, who works at CBS affiliate KFSM, was covering the storm threat when a studio light ignited during the broadcast, as CBS Chicago showed in a YouTube video. 

Footage from the scene shows the studio turning hazy as he keeps warning viewers about dangerous weather. 

"So we just had a fire in the studio, but we got two tornado warnings, so we got to keep tracking and covering this live," Simmons told viewers. 

Even while covering his mouth and nose, he stayed with the broadcast and, according to TODAY.com, reported another tornado alert for the area a few minutes later.

In a later Facebook livestream, Simmons said the smoke-like haze viewers saw was actually from a fire extinguisher a producer used after the light caught fire, according to TODAY.com. 

He said it was "a little tough to breathe" at the time, but he was still able to finish the broadcast.

Why does it matter?

News reports on extreme weather events constitute valuable and often life-saving information for residents in the eye of the storm.

"You have to make that split-second decision of well, yeah, my viewers are in danger with the tornado warning, but am I in danger?" Simmons explained to TODAY.com. "I felt it was far enough away and I was still able to do my coverage."

Fortunately, no injuries were reported from the studio fire, and Simmons said he experienced only minimal health effects the following day. TODAY.com also reported no injuries or fatalities tied to the region's tornadoes on June 6.

What are people saying?

Looking back on the moment, Simmons described it to TODAY.com as "kind of a win-win scenario," noting that no one at the station was hurt and that the weather coverage continued without interruption.

"Schooling can never prepare you for covering a tornado warning during a fire, sometimes you just gotta roll with the punches, you do what you gotta do," he added.

While some praised him as a hero, Simmons rejected that description in comments to the outlet. 

"[I'm] just kind of an ordinary kid, meteorologist from Missouri just trying to do our job," Simmons clarified to TODAY.com. He did describe himself as "a pretty calm as a cucumber guy."

Commenters on YouTube applauded his efforts with one suggesting "a big raise."

"Bravo to the team for putting others' safety in tornado areas above their own wellbeing," another wrote. "Noble and admirable."

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