A small fire on the eighth floor of the Durham Research Tower on the night of Thursday, Feb. 11 resulted in limited water damage.
It is believed that the fire, which started at 9:58 p.m., started in a small room on the eighth floor, said John Hauser, manager, safety, for UNMC.
“Fortunately, nobody was hurt,” Hauser said. “The sprinkler system came on — as it should have — and extinguished the fire before it could spread beyond the room.”
Hauser said the sprinkler system was turned off after about 25 minutes. “But, once you turn the water off, the remaining water in the pipes will still drain out of the open sprinkler head,” he said. “That took about another 25 minutes.”
No total damage estimate has been determined at the present time, but the drywall and ceiling tile replacement is estimated to be less than $100,000, said Deb Thomas, interim vice chancellor for business and finance.
“We have hired a company to do the restoration work,” Thomas said, “and we hope to have things back to normal within a short time.”
Some researchers on the impacted floors have had to move their research to other locations while the restoration work is being done.
“While temporarily moving research operations is inconvenient, it is important to make sure that no water remains behind the walls anywhere moisture was detected to prevent mold,” said Jennifer Larsen, M.D., vice chancellor for research.
“The entire research community stepped up to help each other out during this period of time to help those who have been displaced. I am extremely proud of both the research community and the facilities support we have received that has allowed us to minimize any impact on research productivity.”
Thomas agreed. “It’s a perfect example of what makes UNMC a great place to work,” she said. “Everybody pulls together when something like this occurs.”