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No injuries occurred after a fire broke out at Tennessee Tech’s New Hall South Tuesday night.
University officials said all 320 residents evacuated the building when a dryer caught fire. TTU Vice President for Student Affairs Marc Burnett said most residents returned to their dorms within hours.
“Safety is our first priority,” Burnett said. “As soon as we knew the building had been safely evacuated, we moved as quickly as possible to get students to a comfortable area, to give them updates, provide food, and help them make the best decision for themselves about next steps. Most residents were able to return to their rooms as soon as the alarms had been reset.”
A total of 120 residents spent the night at New Hall North while crews conducted cleanup and repairs.
The first and second floors received extensive water damage. A press release said two rooms suffered heavy damage from water. Burnett said residents living in those rooms will stay at New Hall North for the remainder of the semester.
The university will cover costs incurred by students because of the incident.
“We are making sure our students have the support and resources they need,” said President Phil Oldham. “I’m grateful for the fire department for responding quickly and minimizing the damage and to our Residential Life staff and others who worked diligently to contact and find solutions for students.”
About 50 Residential Life staff and other university employees worked to contact and help all students affected.
