Last week, the Rappahannock River Hall fire alarm went off after a malfunction in the main breezeway elevator caused the sprinkler system to activate. Students had to evacuate and some reported they could see smoke coming from the building.
The day after the incident, Housing emailed the residents of the building letting them know “it has become necessary to shut [the elevator] down for the foreseeable future.” The housing and maintenance staff said they are working with vendors to get the repairs done as soon as possible.
On Feb. 2, “Water from the fire system mixed with hydraulic fluid and oil in the elevator shaft,” University Housing said in an email to The Captain’s Log. This mix of water and hydraulic fluid required a “specialized cleanup.” Housing noted that the clean-up was completed the same day.
As of Mon. Feb. 5, repairs are still being made to the elevator and Housing is sending regular updates to residents. By the time of print Housing is “…still waiting for timeline details from the contractor related to parts to share a more firm timeline for when repairs are completed,” Housing said.
Director of University Housing Zac Holmes said, “Please know our maintenance team is actively addressing the issues. Student safety is our top priority, and we thank you for your patience as we work to restore normal operations promptly.”
Repairs continue to be on hold as the University waits for specialized parts to come in from the vendor.
