campus

RAW Center Evacuated Following Valve Burst

Photographer: Lamonte Dewindt
Campus Editor

7,500 gallons of water flooded RAW basketball courts.

The Recreation and Wellness Center (RAW) will have the basketball courts closed until further notice after a sprinkler head burst on Monday evening, according to an email sent to students from Associated Students, Inc. (ASI) Recreation.

Intramural sports leagues will also be postponed until further notice.

Following an intramural indoor soccer game around 10 p.m., one of the players from the game was kicking the ball around when the ball hit a sprinkler head, which then caused water to begin to shoot out of the pipe.

All students and staff of the RAW center were then asked to leave as black water began to shoot out onto the basketball courts and the fire alarm began to sound.

University Police Department (UPD) as well as the Hayward Fire Department were on hand as students flocked outside after the ruckus.

As water began to leak out onto the floor near the entrance, the staff of the RAW began to use towels to protect the front desk from being soaked in the liquid.

As water continued to leak out of the pipe a smell that could be described as something similar to sulfur began to fill up the RAW center and even stuck to the clothes of those who stayed near the valve for too long.

According to Krista Smith, director of the RAW center, around 7,500 gallons of water leaked out and in an additional email sent she was quoted as saying “A property restoration company is onsite working to remove any moisture from the floor.  Once this work has been completed the University and the flooring company will be able to determine additional repairs.”

All other facilities in the RAW center will be available for use.

This entry was published in The Pioneer Online on Thursday, March 8th, 2012 at 12:35 pm.