Jan. 21 was the coldest day of the year so far, reaching temperatures of -19 degrees Fahrenheit. With temperatures being this low, people are not the only ones who need to be careful. Hillside, a residential building at MTU, felt the effects of this extreme cold.
At 1:37 p.m., the fire alarm went off, forcing students to evacuate the building into the frigid cold. While people were evacuating, the power went out. Residents wondered why all the lights were turned off only in their rooms and outlets were not supplying power to any equipment.
According to a source from housing, this was caused by maintenance issues when they were refilling the fire suppression system. This caused the pipe to burst, damaging a transformer and cutting the power in the whole building. Once notified, housing was able to quickly provide support to the residents of the hall.
Cass Brown, a resident of Hillside, said, “It is unfortunate that the power went out, especially when it’s this cold out.” Housing claimed Hillside would not regain power until Wednesday, Jan. 22.
Warm water, fridges, and appliances cannot be used with power out. “It sucks!” exclaimed Sam Moshier, another resident at Hillside. “I want power!” Housing and Public Safety is helping accommodate the unpredictable event by bringing various types of pizza to accommodate individuals with dietary restrictions, as no one can cook their meals.
Students were told to use McNair’s neighboring dorm building facilities to shower, charge computers, or do anything else that required power. Residents of Hillside will be granted access to McNair’s main entrance while the power is off. There is a power cord on the first floor; however, it is only to be used for students’ phones.
Students worried about staying warm in their rooms; however, housing and facilities were able to circulate heat throughout the building. The McNair front desk lent out flashlights and lanterns to allow some light in affected rooms in Hillside. Thankfully, all issues were fixed by 4 p.m. Jan. 23.
