On May 9 at 4:08 a.m., Lakeside residents were abruptly awakened by the fire alarm. All residential buildings are equipped with automatic fire sprinklers that activated and put the fire out in a timely manner. According to Assistant Vice President of Public Safety Ken Miller, the building sustained “very minor damage from smoke and water intrusion.”
“Overall, good job in quickly evacuating and all of the building systems seem to have worked appropriately for the safety of residents,” Miller added.
For students wanting to know more about the incident, Miller answered some common questions:
Q: What caused the fire?
A: It is very early and this has not been confirmed, but we do have a report of trash being thrown away, potentially hitting one of the two wall mounted bug zapper’s in the first floor trash room.
Q: When did it start?
A: The central station monitoring company contacted us at 4:08 a.m., but the fire could have been smoldering for up to 30 minutes prior to activation of the fire system.
Q: How was the fire put out?
A: All residential buildings are equipped with automatic fire sprinklers that activated and put the fire out in a timely manner.
Q: What damage was done to the building?
A: The building sustained very minor damage from smoke and water intrusion.
Q: How many rooms were affected?
A: The entire building was evacuated due to safety concerns, but really those on the first floor, adjacent to the trash room were most impacted.
Q: Was anyone hurt or injured?
A: As of right now, we have no reports of anyone being injured.
Q: How long did it take to clear the building?
A: We will need to review footage and other data, but as of right now, I would estimate that the building was cleared within 5-6 minutes.
Q: What should students do differently if this happens again?
A: It is a tough situation with this occurring during finals and the odd schedules that students can keep. However, everyone appears to have done a good job in evacuating the building in a timely manner. If I was to have a critique, I would add that it is beneficial to keep all doors closed during a fire condition. This prevents additional oxygen from reaching the fire and allowing it to spread.
Q: Should students worry about smoke inhalation?
A: At the levels we saw in this situation, no. However, some may be particularly sensitive and need to follow up with the Wellness Center should they have any lingering effects.
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