Gas Leak in School of Dentistry Building

On the morning of September 1, the gas pipes in the College of Dentistry were being flushed out when a student noticed the smell of gas.

"Around 1 a.m., Washington Gas was flushing out the lines when the smell got in the ventilation.  The smell was the strongest on the third floor," said Roderick Johnson, Facilities Manager.  

 In response, the building was evacuated.

The school evacuated to investigate the issue during a short period in the morning to assure that it was just the gas line being flushed and not something more serious.

Shara Thomas, a third-year dental student was in the school at the time.

"We were in clinic when the announcement went throughout the building saying there was a gas leak and we had to evacuate," Thomas said.

Thomas said the evacuation lasted approximately 30 minutes and then the fire department gave notification that it was clear to return inside the building. Once students returned to the building, classes resumed to their regular schedule.