2008 Woodie Awards
Hanger caused Tuesday's evacuation in Lawrenson
Meagan Birely and Richard T. Reilly
Issue date: 9/28/07 Section: News
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One of the female occupants of Lawrenson Hall in room 4E hung a clothes hanger from the sprinkler head, causing the heat sensor to malfunction.
At about 10:45 p.m. Tuesday night, the broken sprinkler head started a flood on the fourth floor. This malfunction made the sprinkler activate and the fire alarm sound.
"Twelve students were affected that night," Nate Haas, University of Northern Colorado director of media relations said. "It will be a while before they can assess the damage to the rooms themselves."
Weld County Fire and Rescue was called at 10:52 p.m., when the water flow detectors were activated. The firefighters arrived just before 11 p.m. and made their way into the building to shut off the water and look for the source. They found water flowing in the hallway when they reached the fourth floor.
That night, residents were evacuated and then sent to Harrison Hall, where they waited in the lounge. Soon it was announced that rooms D, E and F on floors two, three and four were the ones that were affected.
Jennifer So, a sophomore theatre arts major, is a resident of one of those rooms.
"They had those rooms move into the athletic lounge and they kept us there for a while.
They were very good about keeping us updated on what was going on," So said.
The students who were displaced to Harrison weren't allowed to return back to their rooms until around 2 a.m. Wednesday morning.
The residents from the fourth floor and down were sent to the athletic lounge and were told there were three to five inches of standing water Tuesday night.
The fire department was able to remove the water and begin to look for damage. Anything that was wet was placed into bags and left in the rooms.
"I was lucky my computer and everything was fine. My roommate's computer was on the floor and is now gone," So said.
Sam Kim, Lawrenson Hall director found alternate rooms for the night.
Kim was unavailable for comment.
At about 10:45 p.m. Tuesday night, the broken sprinkler head started a flood on the fourth floor. This malfunction made the sprinkler activate and the fire alarm sound.
"Twelve students were affected that night," Nate Haas, University of Northern Colorado director of media relations said. "It will be a while before they can assess the damage to the rooms themselves."
Weld County Fire and Rescue was called at 10:52 p.m., when the water flow detectors were activated. The firefighters arrived just before 11 p.m. and made their way into the building to shut off the water and look for the source. They found water flowing in the hallway when they reached the fourth floor.
That night, residents were evacuated and then sent to Harrison Hall, where they waited in the lounge. Soon it was announced that rooms D, E and F on floors two, three and four were the ones that were affected.
Jennifer So, a sophomore theatre arts major, is a resident of one of those rooms.
"They had those rooms move into the athletic lounge and they kept us there for a while.
They were very good about keeping us updated on what was going on," So said.
The students who were displaced to Harrison weren't allowed to return back to their rooms until around 2 a.m. Wednesday morning.
The residents from the fourth floor and down were sent to the athletic lounge and were told there were three to five inches of standing water Tuesday night.
The fire department was able to remove the water and begin to look for damage. Anything that was wet was placed into bags and left in the rooms.
"I was lucky my computer and everything was fine. My roommate's computer was on the floor and is now gone," So said.
Sam Kim, Lawrenson Hall director found alternate rooms for the night.
Kim was unavailable for comment.
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