RICHMOND — More than 400 students were evacuated from an Eastern Kentucky University residence hall after a water main broke early Tuesday, a campus official said.
The water main was repaired Tuesday afternoon, and officials hoped the students could return to McGregor Hall early Tuesday night.
Earlier Tuesday, about 415 male and female residents of McGregor Hall were moved to the Powell Building, the campus student center next door, or to vacant dormitory rooms elsewhere on campus after the break was reported at 12:35 a.m. Tuesday, EKU spokesman Marc Whitt said. Students were allowed to take pillows and blankets.
The break in the 4-inch line was caused by a coupling that failed. Water flooded the laundry area and a lounge in the basement of McGregor Hall. There are 14 resident rooms in the basement, but officials were able to keep the water from getting into those rooms. The water did cause some damage to an electrical transformer.
Most of the water had been removed by 9:30 a.m. Tuesday. Power was turned off to the building as a safety precaution.
If students were not allowed to return later Tuesday, arrangements were to be made to have them stay at a motel or other on- or off-campus lodging, Whitt said.
