An appliance fire that started in an apartment in University Village Building 3 on Monday, April 8 activated fire alarms and sprinklers within the building.
Coral Gables Fire Department extinguished the fire, and 36 students have been displaced to THesis Hotel for the remainder of the week, due to significant water damage.
“Water removal and restoration work is underway,” the University of Miami said in a statement to The Hurricane. “The Coral Gables Fire Department has provided an all clear for students to return to apartments that were not impacted by the incident.”
According to UV3 resident, Cailey Cahoon, after about a two hour wait, everyone except for residents in rooms 308, 309 and 310 were allowed back into the building.
“Those rooms experienced smoke and water damage,” Cahoon said. “When I was finally allowed back into my room I had to be escorted by staff. There was water coming out of my ceiling.”
Sprinkler-induced damage has made certain apartments temporarily uninhabitable. Those residents will be relocated for the coming days.
According to the University of Miami, “Housing and Residential Life is providing alternative housing at THesis for the 36 students who have been temporarily displaced – mostly because of water damage to apartments – while restoration work is being done. This work will be completed as quickly as possible.”
“They said to expect us to be [in THesis] as late as Friday.” Cahoon said. “They are not providing transportation to and from campus, and are shutting off the power in our original apartment (with no fridges in THesis) so all of our food is going to go bad. [There is] no real update on what they are going to do for the damages of our belongings.”
Corinne Kelly, a UV3 resident and senior studying entrepreneurship also expressed her frustrations.
“I’m feeling stressed,” she said. “My room is soaked. I could hear my feet squishing as I walked in.”
Kelly and her three roommates, all seniors just six weeks away from graduation, are among the 36 students temporarily displaced.
Those moved to THesis are being provided with parking accommodations at THesis and a meal plan with access to the dining halls on campus.
“I feel like my whole week was thrown off,” Kelly said. “But we know they’re doing their best to address the situation.”