Almost three hours after Loyola Hall residents were evacuated following a burst pipe on the third floor, Fairfield’s Residence Life office sent an email to students at 11:23 p.m. declaring that the Southside of the building would be reopened to students.
“You are receiving this message because it is now safe to re-occupy the Southside of Loyola Hall. This message applies only to rooms on the Southside. Please note that the Northside remains off-limits until further notice,” the office said in an email to Loyola students.
The notification to residents comes after at around 9:15 p.m. a pipe on the third floor of the building burst after a student allegedly hit the pipe with a football, causing a building-wide evacuation. Five fire trucks arrived as students flocked to the Barone Campus Center and their friends’ rooms in other buildings across campus.
Video footage obtained by The Mirror showed the black-colored water, leading students to believe it was an oil leak instead of a burst water pipe. DPS officers blocking students from entering Loyola confirmed that it was water and not oil.
Ava and MacKenzie, two Loyola residents who live on the third floor, were working on homework when they heard water start falling. They ran out into the hall to see water pouring from the ceiling in waves. “It smelled really bad. I didn’t have time to grab anything,” Ava shared. Both girls made it to the BCC in their pajamas and bathrobes, while other Loyola residents stood in groups talking and making phone calls.
However, other residents lingered by Loyola, hoping to see what would happen. A staff member from Residence Life ushered students away from the building as firefighters were seen through the windows inspecting the pipes. A trail of water ran down the sidewalk from pipes outside.
In response to the emergency, Residence Life had staff on the lower level of the BCC providing updates and pizza to students who were on the area. The Fairfield University Student Association also provided students with bottled water.
At 10:23 p.m., Residence Life sent an email to Loyola residents that read, “At approximately 9:15 p.m., a sprinkler head was damaged on the third floor, activating the fire alarm and causing water in the hallway.”
They added, “For your safety, Loyola is off-limits until further notice. Please go to the Barone Campus Center, our designated evacuation location. We will notify you once it is safe to return later this evening.”
According to a male RA in Loyola, while the flooding started on the third floor, water damage reached the first and second floors.
RAs on the second floor of Loyola were later told that the reason the water reached the second floor was due to space between the wiring lines that connect the floors.
According to Loyola RAs, the water came down through holes on the ceiling.
Students took to Fizz to share photos and videos, as well as share their frustrations. One anonymous user wrote, “Where are we supposed to sleep tn if we live in Loyola?”
Some students who aren’t Loyola residents began to offer spaces in their rooms. “Loyola kids who need a space in sophomore village lmk,” one post read.
Another Fizz user wrote, “I’m a senior who lived in Loyola and I feel for ug. Me and my boys can house a few ppl whoever wants at our beach house.”
Madi Wade, an RA on the second floor of Loyola shared, “I thought it was a smoke alarm. That’s why I didn’t grab anything.”
“It’s just really annoying, especially because we’ve already had issues, even with the renovated bathrooms. Like the first few days, the showers weren’t working. They blocked off the bathroom. Another issue in such a short amount of time is pretty annoying,” Gabi Smajlaj, a resident on the third floor of Loyola, said.
Past midnight, students on the Northside were still awaiting further instructions, with no guarantee of where they’re going to sleep or when they will be able to return. An email sent at 11:48 p.m. from Residence Life read, “The Northside of Loyola Hall remains off-limits as Facilities continues repair work. Please remain in the Barone Campus Center or stay with a friend or in the Commons until further notice.”
Sophia Haber Brock, Olivia Marceda and Julian Nazario contributed reporting to this story.
This is a developing story and was last updated on Oct. 21 at 12:20 a.m.