Electrical problem causes fire scare in library

Students and faculty members were forced to evacuate the library today around 3:30 p.m. for what they thought was a fire drill. Many students lefts all their belongings, including backpacks and laptops, because they believed it was just another typical drill and that they would be back in the

Fire truck arrived on the scene a little before 3:30 p.m. to evaluate the scene. SARA HUGHES/STATESMAN

building in, at most, five minutes.

But as the police cars and fire trucks showed up, many students started to realize that this was not a typical evacuation drill.

“This is not a drill—this is actually pretty serious,” said UMD Library Director Matt Rosendahl

Rosendahl explained that there was an electrical problem in one of the library’s elevators that was causing quite a bit of smoke, so they had everyone evacuated to be safe.

Firemen showed up to the scene in less than five minutes and had the situation under control by 3:50 p.m., when students were allowed to reenter the building.

 

BY SHANNON KINLEY

kinle005@d.umn.edu

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