Hall of Languages cleanup work concluding

Hall of Languages cleanup work concludingJanuary 09, 2007Kevin Morrowkdmorrow@syr.edu

Remediation work on the Hall of Languages is wrapping up. The building’s elevator returned to service Monday, Jan. 8, and carpet repairs and minor maintenance on the first floor are to be finished by Wednesday, Jan. 10.

The Hall of Languages was closed and more than 140 College of Arts and Sciences faculty and staff relocated after a motor for the building’s elevator malfunctioned and caught fire Dec. 17.

The fire was contained in a mechanical room in the east wing of the first floor and quickly extinguished, but a large puddle of hydraulic fluid spread across the first floor, damaging flooring, doorways and walls. And oily smoke from the fire permeated the first floor and circulated to public spaces and private offices above, leaving behind a film on many surfaces as well as a pungent odor. The building itself sustained no structural damage.

Over several days following the fire, the Hall of Languages was ventilated and crews from Loss Recovery Systems Inc. of Syracuse, a fire recovery contractor, removed damaged carpeting and cleaned surfaces throughout the building. This work was completed Dec. 29. The building reopened that afternoon except for portions of the east wing on the first floor, where repairs continued, including work by Otis Elevator and SU Physical Plant staff installing new elevator mechanical equipment.

According to SU’s Environmental Health Office, an independent contractor performed clearance air sampling after the cleanup and saw favorable results.

“The College of Arts and Sciences is tremendously grateful for the broad and deep support extended to us by the other units on campus,” says Dean Cathryn R. Newton. “The University’s response to the blaze — from the academic units to the Environmental Health Office, Public Safety and Physical Plant — was strong and immediate. We offer heartfelt thanks.”