Oct. 18, 2007
From staff reports
Faculty, students and staff evacuated Haning Hall this morning after a fire believed to have been started as the result of welding work on the building's air handling units. The fire was quickly contained.
Athens Fire Chief Robert Troxel said a definitive cause and an assessment of damages to the building, which are expected to be minimal, should be available later this afternoon.
David Hopka, associate vice president for safety and risk management at Ohio University, said employees were sent home for the day because workers needed time to repair the air handler and clear residual smoke. Employees were allowed to enter the building to secure their offices and retrieve personal items.
The Ohio University Department of Environmental Health and Safety is conducting an investigation into the exact cause of the fire.
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