An unexpected power outage in Buttrick Hall on Thursday, Nov. 21, prompted evacuations from the building and confusion over communications. Buttrick Hall faculty and staff were first notified of the power outage at 2:56 p.m., and the building was closed for the rest of the day during repairs.
The Vanderbilt College of Arts and Science posted on their Instagram Story on Thursday morning that the building would be closed through the weekend. Community members who evacuated the building were able to collect their belongings from 9 to 11 a.m. Friday morning. Students were not notified of the building’s closure through AlertVU or any other messaging system.
Talia Fernós, who teaches Introduction to Topology in Buttrick 202, said the disruption was especially challenging because it occurred on the day of a scheduled exam. With no assistance or alternative space provided by the university, she took it upon herself to relocate her class to a computer lab in the Stevenson Center so students could still take the test.
“There was no indication that anything was wrong, but a room should have been scheduled for me,” Fernós said.
She later learned that some professors also received no relocation support but continued their exams in Buttrick, where students were reportedly using their cellphones as lighting in dark classrooms. Fernós said she believes that emergency communication could be improved and that AlertVU cell phone alerts should contain clear messages and be more immediate to incidents.
Junior Lucy Ward, who was studying in Buttrick Hall at the time of the evacuation, said she first heard VUPD shouting for students to leave the building and crowds of people then rushed downstairs.
“I was studying in Buttrick for about 30 minutes when I heard shouting from downstairs saying ‘VUPD, please evacuate immediately,’ and then saw many people running down the stairs,” Ward said. “I joined them and asked what was going on, and a VUPD officer told us it was a gas leak.”
Ward said she wished she knew the cause of the evacuation sooner but appreciated how VUPD handled the situation.
“It was definitely pretty nerve-racking. My first thought was that there was an intruder or shooter,” Ward said. “Once I found out it was a gas leak — which was pretty quick — I was okay. I think they handled it pretty well because their priority was getting everyone out, but I would have appreciated knowing what was happening sooner.”
VUPD and Vanderbilt Facilities Management did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
