Lab fire – Update

Public Safety has just sent an all-campus email (and text message) about the fire last night in Hall-Atwater. The fire started in a lab in Room 124 at 11:45 pm last night. Hall Atwater will be closed today while people survey the damage:

A fire occurred at Hall Atwater at approximately 11:45 p.m. Sunday night. The fire appears to have originated in a lab in Room 124, which incurred significant damage to the lab. Some areas adjacent to and surrounding the lab on the first and second floor also received varying degrees of smoke, water and fire damage.

During the fire, two public safety officers, who experienced exposure to fumes while trying to extinguish the blaze, and a Middletown Firefighter, who suffered a chemical burn on his arm, were taken to a hospital for treatment. All were treated and released. One student was also decontaminated for possible chemical exposure as a precautionary measure.

Hall Atwater will be shut down for use today while we evaluate the full extent of the fire, water and smoke damage mentioned. Once this has been surveyed a determination will be made on when to reopen the building.

[Edit, 9:28 am]

A Connecticut Post article here has more details about the fire. Thanks to Noah Gapsis ’10 for the tip.

[Edit by Mad, 1:53 pm] This Hartford Courant article has more detailed information about the fire. Some important bits from it:

Flames got into the wall and traveled to the second floor before firefighters brought the fire under control. The lab where the fire originated and the second floor were significantly damaged. There is smoke and water damage to the surrounding rooms and on the second floor, Pesci said.

University officials hope to have power restored to the building by the end of the day, but it is unclear when it will reopen.

From speaking to professors and students who work in research labs, it seems that when they say that some labs were significantly damaged, they mean significantly damaged. More info as it becomes available.