Low water pressure prompts WAC evacuation

A sudden drop in water pressure set off fire alarms in the Wedgewood Academic Center Thursday afternoon, sending a surge of surprised students and faculty out into the chilly weather.

The unexpected drop in pressure in the water pipes was picked up by sensors in WAC, which took the change to mean the fire sprinklers were on, Vice President for Administration and University Counsel Jason Rogers said.

“The signal that’s sent to the fire system is similar to the signal that would be sent if the fire sprinklers were on and causing a drop in pressure, so that’s what caused the fire alarm to go off,” Rogers said.

The initial drop in water pressure originated from the Metro water system, and the cause hasn’t been determined, Rogers said.

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