Message from Student Affairs about Earthquake

The mid-Atlantic region, along with much of the East Coast, experienced an earthquake this afternoon. We're thankful to report that despite some shaking, all of our students are safe and the campus came through the earthquake with little apparent damage. College Buildings and Grounds staff, aided by Public Safety, has completed an initial inspection of the interior and exterior of our campus buildings. Should there be any signs of damage identified, the College will bring in a structural engineer to determine if the damage is more than cosmetic and what repairs are needed.

All first-year and early return students are safe and all programs continue unaffected. We are monitoring weather reports and will announce any changes to the weekend schedule within the next 24 hours.

From all of us at the College, we hope that you and your family remain safe and well.

Sincerely,

Mela Dutka

Vice President for Student Affairs/Dean of Students

Dorm Reoccupied after Minor Fire

A small fire broke out in a third-floor bedroom in Chester Hall on Monday at about 8 p.m. No students were injured and the building was evacuated without incident.

All power had been restored by 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, and students were able to reenter and occupy the building.

The source of the fire was a student's unattended fan that had been left on and had fallen onto bedding, causing the motor to overheat and catch fire. Damage from the fire or smoke was minimal and confined to the area around the fan.

Because the sprinkler system activated there was water damage to the room, to surrounding rooms, and to rooms on the the floors directly below.

As a safety precaution, the building was closed Monday night so that the electrical system could be checked for any water-related problems.

Clean-up began Tuesday morning while an assessment was underway to determine repairs needed for the most directly affected rooms. Students were housed overnight in a nearby hotel; some elected to stay with friends. The sprinkler-system contractor (Fireline) arrived to replace sprinkler heads and re-energize the system. The fire-code inspector thoroughly investigated the dormitory, ascertained that the electrical grid was undamaged, and gave the all-clear Tuesday for reoccupation.

Marcor Remediation also was on site Tuesday morning with dehumidification equipment, while maintenance crews targeted the water-damaged areas throughout the day. In all, 11 rooms—three on the third floor, four on the second floor, and four on the first floor—sustained significant water damage and will require repair. The Residential Life Office is providing alternative on-campus living arrangements for the 13 students temporarily impacted by repair efforts.

"The response from all concerned—the Department of Public Safety, the Chestertown Fire Department, the Residential Life staff—was prompt and effective, and the resident students remained calm and responded well," said Mela Dutka, Vice President and Dean of Students.

Lelia Hynson Pavilion Suffers Extensive Damage After Fire

Chestertown, MD, September 30, 2002 — The Lelia Hynson Pavilion, part of the College's waterfront facilities, suffered extensive damage in a fire early Sunday morning, September 29th. At approximately 3 a.m. a passing motorist reported seeing flames. The Chestertown Fire Department arrived on the scene at 3:10 and battled the blaze until it was extinguished at approximately 4:30 a.m. The damage to the facility is very significant.
Washington College Public Safety officers had been on the scene earlier at 11 p.m. Saturday evening after the conclusion of a student gathering. The officers returned to the Pavilion at 1:20 a.m. making routine rounds, and did not observe anything out of the ordinary during those visits. Preliminary reports suggest the fire may have been electrical in origin but investigation is ongoing. The Pavilion will be closed for the foreseeable future.
No one was injured as a result of the fire.