The Student News Site of North Carolina A&T State University

The A&T Register

The Student News Site of North Carolina A&T State University

The A&T Register

The Student News Site of North Carolina A&T State University

The A&T Register

Flood Zone

Residents of Cooper Hall had to be relocated Sunday night at approximately 10:00 p.m. after a sprinkler erupted in a resident’s room on the third floor and proceeded to flood parts of the student residence hall.

Hall director Teron Martin and resident assistants immediately began knocking on doors and making an announcement on the intercom for everyone to leave the building. As the water continued to spray, it completely flooded one resident’s room and drained down the building, affecting rooms on every floor below.

“Right now it [sprinkler head] is expected to have malfunctioned, causing one of the rooms to fill up with water,” said Martin. “Water dripped down all the way to the basement, but as it got lower it didn’t damage too much, just mainly items that may have been right under or on the floor.

After an A&T Environmental Health and Safety official was called to shut off the water, residents were allowed back into the building at approximately 11:30 p.m. to assess their personal damage. The main concern of Martin and the RA’s was to make sure residents were safe and that no one stayed to act as spectators.

About 64 residents whose items were extremely affected by the flooding were transported off campus and are temporarily staying at Park Lane Hotel located at 3005 High Point Road. The university is providing shuttle services to take those students to campus and back to the hotel.

“I left my room and maybe four minutes later all my bags were wet,” said Tyson Wright, a sophomore physical therapy major from Forest City, N.C. “Water was going everywhere, even out the door. Then we had to leave, and the RA’s said we couldn’t go back in. They [Martin and RA’s] did their job; they had everything in order. We were told that night that A&T was not responsible for any damages, but they couldn’t tell me why.”

Though some students recall being told A&T was not liable for any damages, officials from the university’s Department of Housing and Residence Life are meeting to discuss concerns and are evaluating, on an individual basis, if they can or cannot do something to help the student(s). When this article was written there were not yet any documented damages made to any electronics.

Residents who believe their major electronics [laptop, tv, etc.] were damaged have been asked to take the items to the help desk, in order for A&T to get an official word of water damage.

“I wasn’t instructed to tell students that A&T is not liable for damages,” said Wilbert Guilford, an RA in Cooper Hall on the second floor. “It’s common knowledge that A&T is not liable for loss of personal property, like if something is stolen. I do know that if it is proven a student caused the sprinkler to go off, that student will have to pay the cost of damages.”

In a press release issued from Mable Scott, a special assistant to the vice chancellor of development and university relations, the total estimated value of damage is $75,000. That cost includes damage to personal items of residents and the costs of cleaning the rooms.

Currently, that cleanup process includes removing the water and making sure that sitting water does not cause mold or other problems.

Martin also said that residents who could document water damage to their clothing and/or bedding will receive the items cleaned by A&T.

Amid the curiosity from students about their property, some parents have contacted Martin and other housing officials with concerns.

If any students have questions they can go to Housing and Residence Life, located in Morrow Hall, and ask to speak with Leonard Jones.

As this article went to press, an attempt to contact Jones was made several times with no success. His office was preparing an official statement to give to parents of residents of Cooper Hall. 

  • Jasmine Johnson
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