Pictured Above: Students received a USF emergency text alert warning of a natural gas leak in Davis Hall on Friday morning.
Sophie Ojdanic | The Crow’s Nest
By Trevor Martindale
USF St. Petersburg students who subscribed to the AlertUSF emergency notification system received a report of a natural gas leak in Davis Hall Friday, May 15.
The first message read: “Natural gas leak in Davis Hall area. Stay inside. Avoid area. Emergency personnel responding.”
The fire department and TECO were dispatched to the area to help stop the gas leak.
The final message to students assured that the gas leak had been stopped and students could return to normal activity.
This leak signifies yet another obstacle in the renovations of Davis Hall, as the project has faced multiple delays.
Police Chief David Hendry issued a statement to The Crow’s Nest regarding the gas leak Friday afternoon.
“This morning at about 10:30 a.m., a campus work crew was turning off a natural gas valve on the first floor exterior of Davis Hall, as part of the second floor renovation project,” he said in his email, “During their efforts, the valve broke, leading to a gas leak outside the building.”
According to Chief Hendry, UPD was notified immediately and stepped in to set a perimeter and evacuation. TECO Gas Co. and the St. Petersburg Fire Department both arrived within minutes.
“A very small number of students and campus personnel were on campus at the time due to the Safer at Home Directives regarding the coronavirus, and there were no injuries in the incident,” Hendry said.
TECO responders repaired the gas valve within a few minutes of their arrival, according to Hendry.
“The University Police would like to express our appreciation to both the St. Petersburg Fire Department responders and the emergency workers from TECO Gas who responded so quickly and professionally to ensure a safe conclusion to the incident.” Hendry said.
Hendry also stressed the importance of receiving updates from UPD.
“In regards to the emergency notification system, AlertUSF, university personnel will immediately notify the entire campus via this system when an emergency situation occurs on campus,” Hendry explained.“The intent is to provide information that keeps the community informed for their safety during emergency situations.”
Go here to subscribe to AlertUSF.
