News

Fire scare leads to evacuation

Staffer smells smoke in Helen C. White Hall’s 7th floor; College Library cleared out

Students and faculty were evacuated from Helen C. White after a staff member smelled smoke in the English department Tuesday morning.

The building was emptied after the fire alarm went off due to electrical problems with a computer on the seventh floor, director of College Library Carrie Kruse said.

“There was no problem in the library, but there was actually smoke on the seventh floor,” Kruse said. “The whole building was on the same alarm system, so if it happens on the seventh floor, the first floor, everyone leaves.”

The Madison Fire Department and University of Wisconsin Police arrived at the scene around 10:50 a.m. before determining there was no fire.

UW freshman Maggie Perry said she was in the elevator on her way up to class on the fourth floor when the alarm went off. She and her classmates exited the building where approximately 150 people congregated, waiting for further instruction.

“I don’t think anyone thought it was a real alarm,” Perry said. “A lot of people tried to stay in the entranceway because it was so cold. Everyone seemed pretty calm. It was just confusion about whether or not we should stay or go, but no one outside was really worried.”

Perry said people began to realize it was not a false alarm when more police cars arrived on the scene and authorities began to block off the road outside of Helen C. White.

UW junior and College Library student assistant Brandon Bykowski was in the computer lab in the library when the alarm went off.

He said he was surprised at how quickly police and firefighters arrived at the scene. No smoke was visible on the exterior of the building when authorities entered the building.

Kruse said the building was evacuated for approximately 30 minutes before students and staff were allowed back inside.

“It’s better to be safe than sorry. Nobody wants to be disrupted, but if there is a problem the appropriate action is to investigate it,” Kruse said.