Dear Barnard Students,
We write to provide an update on the small fire in Brooks Hall last night. Thanks to the great work of the FDNY and our own campus Community Accountability, Response & Emergency Services (CARES) team, the fire, which started accidentally when an open flame ignited a mattress, was quickly extinguished. No one was injured. After a brief evacuation, most students returned to their residence hall rooms within a few hours. A small number of students have been temporarily relocated elsewhere on campus.
Though the damage was limited to Brooks Hall, we evacuated the entire quad out of an abundance of caution. President Beilock and our staff remained with our students throughout the evening to ensure they were as comfortable as possible until being allowed back into the residence halls a few hours later.
As a reminder, we urge you to familiarize yourself with our Residence Hall Handbook, specifically the rules around Fire Safety, and the Community Safety Policies that outline prohibited items and policies around open flames.
We also encourage you to reach out to your professors or Class Dean if you need academic support for missed assignments. As a reminder, counseling and other support services are always available if needed. Students seeking emotional support this afternoon or in the coming days can call the Furman Counseling Center at 212-854-2092.
We’d like to thank those of you impacted last night for your response and understanding, and we appreciate our staff who worked throughout the night on the response.
Sincerely,
Leslie Grinage
Dean of the College
Amy Zavadil
AVP, CARES