UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – A late-night, accidental fire in Hammond Building that began in a first-floor graduate student room was extinguished within minutes, but officials have closed the building for all activities on July 29 as a precaution while the building is cleaned and vented. Damage was contained to one room, however, a heavy smoke smell lingering in the building played a large role in the decision.
The several hundred employees who work in the building should not report to work on Wednesday, and will hear from their human resources representatives with additional information on when to return and how to account for their time. Those who have offices in Hammond Building and have questions, should contact Clark Colborn, facilities coordinator for the College of Engineering, at cwc2@psu.edu.
Classes held in the facility also have been canceled and students should watch for additional information from the college administration on when regular activities in the building will resume. Classes for all other students are being held as scheduled.
About 35 members of the Alpha Fire Company responded at 10:53 p.m. to the building, where room 136 was fully engulfed in flames. Hammond Building is home to the College of Engineering, with almost every department having a presence in the structure. Occupants with the heaviest presence in the facility are from the department of aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering and nuclear engineering, research laboratories, and the University Libraries.
Fire suppression operations continued through the early morning hours and ventilation of the building will continue until odors are abated.
An initial on-scene investigation of the fire began with officials from the Centre Region Fire Marshall’s office. The fire is still under investigation and University officials expect the property insurer to provide expert consultation in an attempt to determine the cause of the fire.