D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services responded to a fire alarm in Hurst Hall around 4 p.m. Monday afternoon. The alarm, caused by a sterilizer in a lab, caused no substantial damage, according to Public Safety.
"A smoke detector activated on the first floor, causing us to believe that there was smoke," said Gary Folckemer, coordinator for Public Safety Administration. "Something that was put in [the sterilizer] and it caused the alarm. It was all contained."
At least three Fire and EMS units arrived on campus as the alarm activated at 4:17 p.m., Folckemer said. Engine 29 arrived at 4:26 p.m., followed by Engines 12 and 20 at 4:28 p.m.
"Usually what happens is one fire truck will respond," Folckemer said. "As soon as there is a report of a fire, they are going to send whatever units are available."
The Fire department cleared the building for reentry at 4:47 p.m., Folckemer said. More information will be released in a full report tomorrow.
Several students gathered on the Quad after the fire units arrived on the scene. Many of the students present were evacuated from the building during classes.
"It's an old sterilizer system ... it just goes a little crazy and sometimes it smells," graduate student Maryellen Gleeson said. "For someone going in there, they'll think its some crazy chemical."
Eagle Staff Writer Stokely Baksh contributed to this report.
