The building was cleared shortly after 6:34 p.m., when a University employee called Public Safety and reported “a strong smell of smoke,” according to University Spokesperson Martin Mbugua. Students evacuated the building accordingly, and Department of Public Safety officers blocked off the entrance to Woolworth.
The Princeton Fire Department, the University’s Site Protection and DPS responded, according to Mbugua. Soon after, electricians and HVAC technicians inspected mechanical rooms and HVAC systems. Mbugua said it appeared the smell was caused by a problem with a part of a light fixture called an electrical ballast.
Once the building was closed, Mbugua said, two electricians, one HVAC technician and one DPS officer inspected the lighting units. As of 8:25 p.m., fire crews left the scene and University Facilities was monitoring the situation. As of 10:20 p.m., the electricians and technicians were still investigating the lights and students once again had access to Woolworth.
According to an employee of the facilities department, the fire department did not find anything unusual in the building. He added that one final check was being performed.
Writing Program lecturer Andrea Mazzariello was in Woolworth preparing to teach his 7:30 p.m. class, WRI 136: Music and Power, when the alarm went off.
“At about 6:30 I went in, and the smell was awful, obnoxious, like eyes watering, nastiness,” Mazzariello said. “The alarm went off, and we got out of there.”
Jazz Program director Anthony Branker said he noticed something was unusual when he entered the building just minutes before the alarm went off.
“As soon as I entered at about 6:40, there was a very foul smell,” Branker said.
Branker’s class, MUS 320: Jazz Performance Practice in Historical and Cultural Context, was canceled.
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