BREAKING /
MIDNIGHT FIRE ALARM PROMPTS EVACUATION OF UTOWN RESDIDENCES DARREN ONG |
19.10.2011
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A fire alarm triggered the night Oct. 12, 2011 set the normally tranquil and placid University Town abuzz with human activity. However, no blaze was detected and initial investigative efforts were inconclusive in ascertaining the cause for the false alarm.
The sirens sounded at approximately 11:45p.m., prompting a full scale evacuation of the Cinammon and Tembusu Residential Colleges. Residents were only allowed back into their rooms just past 1 a.m. after a headcount had been completed.
The epicentre of commotion was the lawn awash with residents, the designated emergency assembly point. However, the potential severity of the situation was not greeted by any signs of panic.
Conversely, a carnival-like atmosphere characterised by hearty laughs and horseplay among students ensued; the coming of the midnight hour was even heralded by a chorus of singing in an impromptu birthday celebration for one red-faced student.
The apparent light-heartedness was pervasive and left bystanders quizzical over the nature of events. Palle Madsen, 22, an exchange student from Denmark who was observing from the Starbucks outlet situated next to the lawn, was bemused over the hype.
“It looks like a publicity stunt, like a flash mob thing, or some student-organised hall activity. Might even be all of them!” he said.
While those congregated on the lawn were privy to the sounding of the alarm, they were none-the-wiser as to whether a fire emergency had really occurred. Most were debating whether the evacuation was part of an untimely fire drill, though some had salvaged their laptops just in case and were carrying them in hand.
“Nobody’s told us what’s going on. We were just hurried downstairs. I think it’s a fire drill. Don’t really know. Maybe they scheduled one so late because they knew everyone would be in,” said Yong Jiajun, 22, a statistics major residing at the Tembusu College.
Orange-vested “fire wardens,” facilitators tasked with coordinating the evacuation and leading the investigative efforts, found little success in quelling such allegations. The hour-long impasse passed with no news, even after several “fire wardens” had been deployed into the affected blocks to conduct checks.
Asked if the sudden alarm had roused them from bed, most students responded that they had indeed been awake. The lively chatter in spite of the late hour was not surprising to Dinesh Iyer, 23, who also stays at the Tembusu College. “We’re university students, we don’t sleep this early!” he said.
However as time rolled by, effervescence gradually gave way to agitation. Students started bemoaning “undone work” and a “loss of sleep”, blaming it on “this stupid thing” in reference to the disturbance.
The announcement of the all-clear, initially welcomed with a bout of cheering, did not mark the end of the night’s inconveniences. Residents returned to their respective blocks only to find the lifts grounded for safety reasons and had no choice but to trudge up the stairs to their rooms.
“This feels like I’ve just run a vertical marathon,” Lee Xinyi , 23, complained. The student who majors in English language stays on the ninth floor of the Cinnamon College. “God help those on the 21st!”
Any hopes of resuming work in peace were soon dashed. The evacuation notice was still blaring through the public announcement system as residents re-entered their rooms.
“I feel like I’m living in a prison cell,” Lee said, raising her voice over the loud, incessant broadcast. The noise finally desisted at 1:45 a.m., long after she had abandoned continued efforts on her thesis.
With work and sleep curtailed, talk was rife among residents over what had caused the disruption. Yu Xiaoting, 21, who stays in the room adjacent to Lee, was of the opinion that “smokers” had “tripped the fire alarm”.
This led to a collective lamenting among those present of the “banes of communal living” where “everyone has to pay for the mistakes of a few”.
The direct cause for the fire alarm, however, still remains unknown. Campus Security and the Office of Estate and Development, departments in charge of campus property and safety, could not be reached for comment at this time.
It is also unclear if management and staff at the Tembusu and Cinnamon Residential Colleges will open up a formal investigation into the matter.
The sirens sounded at approximately 11:45p.m., prompting a full scale evacuation of the Cinammon and Tembusu Residential Colleges. Residents were only allowed back into their rooms just past 1 a.m. after a headcount had been completed.
The epicentre of commotion was the lawn awash with residents, the designated emergency assembly point. However, the potential severity of the situation was not greeted by any signs of panic.
Conversely, a carnival-like atmosphere characterised by hearty laughs and horseplay among students ensued; the coming of the midnight hour was even heralded by a chorus of singing in an impromptu birthday celebration for one red-faced student.
The apparent light-heartedness was pervasive and left bystanders quizzical over the nature of events. Palle Madsen, 22, an exchange student from Denmark who was observing from the Starbucks outlet situated next to the lawn, was bemused over the hype.
“It looks like a publicity stunt, like a flash mob thing, or some student-organised hall activity. Might even be all of them!” he said.
While those congregated on the lawn were privy to the sounding of the alarm, they were none-the-wiser as to whether a fire emergency had really occurred. Most were debating whether the evacuation was part of an untimely fire drill, though some had salvaged their laptops just in case and were carrying them in hand.
“Nobody’s told us what’s going on. We were just hurried downstairs. I think it’s a fire drill. Don’t really know. Maybe they scheduled one so late because they knew everyone would be in,” said Yong Jiajun, 22, a statistics major residing at the Tembusu College.
Orange-vested “fire wardens,” facilitators tasked with coordinating the evacuation and leading the investigative efforts, found little success in quelling such allegations. The hour-long impasse passed with no news, even after several “fire wardens” had been deployed into the affected blocks to conduct checks.
Asked if the sudden alarm had roused them from bed, most students responded that they had indeed been awake. The lively chatter in spite of the late hour was not surprising to Dinesh Iyer, 23, who also stays at the Tembusu College. “We’re university students, we don’t sleep this early!” he said.
However as time rolled by, effervescence gradually gave way to agitation. Students started bemoaning “undone work” and a “loss of sleep”, blaming it on “this stupid thing” in reference to the disturbance.
The announcement of the all-clear, initially welcomed with a bout of cheering, did not mark the end of the night’s inconveniences. Residents returned to their respective blocks only to find the lifts grounded for safety reasons and had no choice but to trudge up the stairs to their rooms.
“This feels like I’ve just run a vertical marathon,” Lee Xinyi , 23, complained. The student who majors in English language stays on the ninth floor of the Cinnamon College. “God help those on the 21st!”
Any hopes of resuming work in peace were soon dashed. The evacuation notice was still blaring through the public announcement system as residents re-entered their rooms.
“I feel like I’m living in a prison cell,” Lee said, raising her voice over the loud, incessant broadcast. The noise finally desisted at 1:45 a.m., long after she had abandoned continued efforts on her thesis.
With work and sleep curtailed, talk was rife among residents over what had caused the disruption. Yu Xiaoting, 21, who stays in the room adjacent to Lee, was of the opinion that “smokers” had “tripped the fire alarm”.
This led to a collective lamenting among those present of the “banes of communal living” where “everyone has to pay for the mistakes of a few”.
The direct cause for the fire alarm, however, still remains unknown. Campus Security and the Office of Estate and Development, departments in charge of campus property and safety, could not be reached for comment at this time.
It is also unclear if management and staff at the Tembusu and Cinnamon Residential Colleges will open up a formal investigation into the matter.