The Whitworthian

Issue date: 12/4/07 Last Updated: 2/13/08

Some of the faculty members in the English department were asked not access their offices Wednesday due to a condensate leak under the concrete floor in the basement of Westminster Hall.

Director of Facilities Services Ed Kelly said there was a penetration in the floor around the steam line that goes through professor of English Doug Sugano's office.

Kelly said there is currently an "unpleasant odor" in the basement.

"Earlier today that smell had permeated through other parts of the building and several people complained," Kelly said. "We asked professors to stay out of their offices for the day."

Kelly said Facilities Services sealed the penetration Wednesday afternoon in order to force the vapor into the mechanical room, where there is an exhaust system.

"We will turn the steam on after classes tonight to keep the pipes from freezing," Kelly said. "We'll check first thing [Thursday] morning and secure the steam again and ventilate rooms if we need to."

Sugano said he reported the leak on Tuesday.

"I reported the leak that started as a whistling sound near the radiator in my office," Sugano said in an e-mail interview.

Kelly said Facilities Services was unable to identify the problem on Tuesday.

"My office is closed off, so I can't use my computer, books, etc.," Sugano said.

Associate professor of English Tammy Reid said in an e-mail interview that there are too many English faculty to house in Westminster. Reid said her office is located next door in Alder Hall and that she had not heard about the leak.

Kelly said he did not think the leak was related to the construction of the new visual arts center next door.

"Westminster is an old building and we have had trouble with this system before," Kelly said.

Kelly said he expects the problem will be resolved by Thursday.

Contact Julie Wootton at julie.wootton@whitworthian.com.

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