Flooding damages eight floors of EKU dorm, displacing students before classes start
More than 200 Eastern Kentucky University students were displaced from a dormitory the weekend before the first day of school, according to a statement released by the university.
Around 10:36 p.m. Saturday, university officials responded to a flooding incident at the Clay Residence Hall. The university said a student inadvertently damaged a sprinkler head in the dorm, which triggered the building’s overhead sprinkler system.
The first eight floors of the building suffered significant water damage and 220 of the 361 Clay Hall residents had to be relocated, according to the university. Students that reside on floors not impacted by the flooding were able to stay in their room.
“We are maintaining frequent and direct communication with all Clay Hall residents,” EKU said in the statement.
Due to the incident, the university has extended the add/drop deadline through the end of this week to support students unable to attend their first classes, the university said. Classes at EKU began Monday.
EKU BookSmart, the university’s free textbook program, will replace any damaged books, the university said. Additionally, the IT Department is loaning computers and calculators to students whose technology was damaged.
“EKU remains committed to ensuring a safe and optimal living environment for all affected students and minimizing disruptions to their fall 2024 semester,” the university said in a statement.
