Sprinklers _¶ood McIver

Students playing football in McIver Residence Hall broke a fire sprinkler head Monday afternoon causing flooding and water damage to the first and second floors.

The second floor — where the sprinkler was broken — suffered damage to the hallways.

Water pooled on the carpeted floors there and leaked down into first-floor residences and the main parlor which have hardwood floors. Water also leaked into the electrical system" which had to be restarted.

""It leaked down into the community director apartment and two student rooms on the first floor"" said Rick Bradley, assistant director for housing. Other than that"" there doesn't appear to be any significant damage.""

Plans were made to relocate students whose rooms were affected" but Bradley said only students who specifically asked to be removed would be given alternative lodging. They would likely be moved to other dorms in the Kenan community.

Students were told that clothes might be wet and water might be in the closets said sophomore Ashlee Conti a first-floor resident.

The student who threw the football at the sprinkler would have to pay for the damage caused to the residence hall Bradley said.

No estimate for cleanup costs has been made" but one should be finalized by today.

""If you hit one of those things and it pops out of the ceiling" then water will come out and it did" Bradley said.

Fire alarms sounded at 3 p.m., and the fire department came soon afterward. Residents were forced to evacuate for at least an hour while workers removed the water and assessed the damage.

Have you seen water gushing out of pipes?"" said sophomore Josh Miles. ""That's what it looked like.""

About 25 residents chose to wait outside in the light rain or play Twister in the Kenan Residence Hall parlor — disrupting some students preparing for final exams.

""I was just about to do my first studying of the month" when we heard the fire alarm go off" said sophomore McIver resident Phi Nicholson. We figured that was a good time to leave.""

Kenan Community is the only one with hardwood floors" and Bradley said housing officials would assess any long-term damage as cleanup progressed.

McIver was renovated four years ago. The hall was brought up to current fire safety and accessibility standards. The bathrooms were redone and new windows and furniture were put in. New air conditioning plumbing and electrical systems also were installed and the walls floors and ceilings were refinished.



Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.