A sprinkler in the High Rise dormitory was briefly activated late Tuesday night, creating an evacuation situation for the hall’s residents.

A sprinkler on the fifth floor flooded the floor’s hall and reached the stairwell, sending water down the stairs into the basement and rooms of a few first floor residents.

High Rise resident T.J. Ojehomon relayed the details of the accident.

“We had an incident where a gentleman on the fifth floor apparently hit his sprinkler,” Ojehomon said. “When you hit one individual sprinkler with enough pressure, it will signal an emergency and go off until the fire department gets there, so we had several guys throughout High Rise trying to move the water that was flowing.”

Kim Chaudoin, director of University Communication and Marketing, said she spoke with Lipscomb Security and Safety and offered these details.

High Rise Flood Barricade

High Rise Flood Barricade

“There was some minor flooding, more accurately water accumulation, on the fifth floor where the sprinkler broke,” she said. “Water went down stairs to get in some rooms in the basement and first floor. … It’s a bit of a mess for the boys whose rooms got some water in them, but most of the dorm is OK. No problem with anyone sleeping there tonight.”

Ojehomon said that saving the students’ belongings was a top priority.

“[The water] pretty much took out all of [the resident’s] clothes, which we’re trying to save right now by washing them in the laundry room, but all of his clothes were soaked and ruined. A lot of his electronics could be damaged.”

According to Ojehomon, around 30 to 40 High Rise residents helped and continue to help with the clean-up process.

The dorm was open for students while the cleanup continued. Water to the sprinkler system is currently turned off, although domestic water and electricity are still available. Facilities is currently repairing the broken sprinkler. The fire department was also on hand to help with the cleanup. Ojehomon said he believed the clean-up process would not be brief. “It will probably be an all-nighter tonight.”

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