NEWS
Small insulation fire forces evacuation at College Library
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by Matthew Dolbey
Monday, December 8, 2003
by Matthew Dolbey
Campus Editor
In the process of welding work done in College Library, some insulation caught fire and forced an evacuation of the building shortly after 4:30 Friday afternoon. Though there was a small fire, a representative from the University of Wisconsin Police Department claimed students were never in danger.
“There was nothing wrong,” she said.
Vents to the main library portion of the library were left open during the welding operations, making a foul smell within the building, definitely smelling like something was burning, according to UW junior Wendy Corenblum.
“It almost smelled like a gas leak,” she said, adding that she left before library staff asked people to leave because of the smell. Corenblum did return Saturday and reported no odor or signs of damage.
The parking garage also filled with smoke prior to the evacuation.
A College Library employee asked UW junior Rob Krecak to leave while he was studying with a partner. Preceding his departure, several students mentioned the smell, and a staffer told the students nothing was the matter minutes before he was told to leave.
“They flickered the lights on and off, and a guy came around and said we’re going to have to evacuate now,” Krecak said, adding he did not return to study at College Library because a squad car and fire trucks were arriving on the scene.
The responding fire crew could not be reached for comment.
